Dental Bonding
What is it?
Dental bonding is when we use composite resin to adhere or ‘bond’ to your teeth. This composite resin is the same white coloured filling material which we use to fill cavities after decay has been removed.
It is an additive procedure in that we don’t necessarily need to remove any tooth to add material unlike a crown or a veneer.
What can we use it for?
Improving Aesthetics
We can use dental bonding to improve the aesthetics of teeth by changing the size, shape and alignment of teeth. We can also fill unattractive spaces, fix chips and fractures. A composite veneer for instance is where we apply the resin over entire surface of your tooth to achieve the desired result.
Reconstructing Worn Teeth
Many people suffer the effects of worn-down teeth. This happens in all of us due to the natural ageing process but things like grinding, acid erosion and other lifestyle choices can cause premature onset of this.
We can use dental bonding to restore teeth which appear shortened, have sharp edges or even those which have become flat or concave. If ignored worn teeth can affect eating and speech and it can also lead to pain in the nerves of the teeth if you have worn enough of the tooth away. Obviously worn teeth also affect the aesthetics of the teeth themselves but also cause changes to the lower half of your face.
We use a high-quality plastic resin that is hand sculpted directly onto your teeth. This composite resin is starts off soft and pliable but is set into place by UV light. Once set, it is hard and strong and can be polished to a high shine like enamel.
The benefits of bonding are that it is conservative. Normally we don’t need to remove any good tooth structure to achieve the desired result. This differs from a porcelain veneer for instance in which we need to remove a thin layer of enamel. This means local anaesthetic injections often aren’t required.
Another benefit is the treatment only takes one session. A crown or porcelain veneer procedure for instance would require two. This is because the porcelain is fabricated outside the mouth and a temporary is required in between appointments. Because of this it is also less expensive then indirect porcelain or ceramic work.
There are many cases where dental bonding is a great option. But sometimes if optimum aesthetics and longevity are required, porcelain veneers may be required. Similarly, if teeth are just too worn and damaged, crowns may be a better option. We will discuss this with you when we consult you on your needs.
Before and After Gallery
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Schedule Your Visit
At Southern Dental Care – Smile By Design we’d love to help you achieve your goals in oral health—if you’d like to learn more about dental bonding and whether it’s an option for your unique needs, contact us today to set up an appointment. We can’t wait to welcome you into our care.
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