Dental Bonding: Teeth Bonding in Today’s Dentistry

Dental bonding is a dental procedure in which a dentist applies a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) and hardens it with a special light. This ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth and improves the overall appearance of teeth.

There are a few reasons why a dentist will consider teeth bonding:

To repair decayed teeth
To fix chipped teeth
To repair cracked teeth
To improve the appearance of discolored teeth
To close spaces between teeth
To make teeth look longer
To alter the shape of teeth
To protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede

Advance preparation and anesthesia is often not necessary, unless the bonding is being used to fill a decayed tooth. To closely match the color of the tooth that requires tooth bonding, the dentist will use a shade guide to select a color.

Next, the surface of the tooth may be roughened and a conditioning liquid is applied. These procedures help the bonding material to better adhere to the tooth surface. The tooth-colored, putty-like resin is then applied, molded, and smoothed to a proper shape. Then, an ultraviolet light or laser is used to harden the material. After the material becomes hard, your dentist will further trim and shape it, and polish it to match the surface sheen of the rest of your teeth.

Dental bonding takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete.

Stuart Dental & Health Spa is the area’s premier practice for exceptional implant dentistry and cosmetic dentistry with a focus on your health and well-being.

Contact Dr. Medwid at Stuart Dental Health Spa to discuss bonding and other teeth whitening options that are right for you.