Bonding

Things happen in life and sometimes bonding is required. A tooth can get chipped. Even with the best maintenance a spot of decay may occur but be so tiny that a regular filling would be overkill. For occurrences like these, your dentist will do a procedure called bonding. What is bonding? A composite resin that is applied to a decayed or chipped tooth. Since it is the same shade as the tooth, it is invisible to the naked eye. The resin and tooth bond together and create a layer of protection that lasts a very long time. But you have to make sure that you don't chew on ice or hard candy. Also use a mouth guard when playing sports as a blow to the tooth could loosen the adhered resin.

Uses

This treatment is used to repair a chipped, decayed, fractured or discolored tooth. Compared to other treatments, like veneers, bonding is a very cost effective option. In one visit the dentist can take care of a bonding treatment, while veneers are manufactured in a lab and measurements for such things need to be done in separate visits.

Who

Any person who needs a minor repair will be the perfect candidate. This could be to fill in the spaces and gaps between teeth or to put a coat on a tooth that is discolored in order to create a beautiful smile. Bonding techniques can be used on a variety of issues. Ask your dentist for further information.

Procedure

The procedure is a simple one. The color will need to be matched to your teeth. We use a shade guide for the resin as to ensure a seamless finish. Next the tooth is roughened to so that the conditioning liquid and the composite resin will adhere to the tooth easier when applied. The resin is molded to the necessary shape when applied and a UV light or laser is used to harden it. Polishing will make sure that it looks identical to your other teeth. The entire process takes between ½ hour and an hour for each tooth that needs it. Depending on the amount of teeth that need this, you may be required to schedule other visits.

After

After you receive this treatment, use care to avoid darkening or a color change of the bonding material. The substance absorbs when introduced to things like coffee, tea, wine and cigarettes.

What to Expect

You should have no side effects what so ever, but if you happen to feel something not right you should call immediately. There should be no edges that feel hard and your bite should not feel any different. You will probably be asked to make an appointment to come in again so that we can be sure that you are completely happy.