Dental Bonding

1. First, any decay must be removed before bonding material is applied. 

2. Then the surface of your teeth must be roughened so the bonding material will adhere to your tooth.

3. Bonding material that closely matches the color of your teeth is selected. 

4. Your dentist applies the material to your teeth and shapes it to complete the repair needed.

5. The surface of the bonding material is smoothed.

6. Finally, a bright light is shined on the tooth to harden the bonding material. 

This procedure is minimally invasive. In many cases, it is not even necessary to numb an area where bonding will be used, unless the decay to be treated is relatively deep or a chip or crack is near a nerve. Our dental specialists take extraordinary care to produce excellent results while making you feel at ease.

● It involves minimal alteration of a tooth before the material is applied. It’s possible that no tooth enamel will be removed at all. 

●It is a fast process and it is more economical than many other methods of repairing damaged teeth. 

●A severely stained tooth can be concealed with dental bonding material. If you were to choose porcelain veneers or a crown to cover this tooth, the cost would be much higher. 

●When dental bonding is used to restore a tooth with decay, the patient ends up with a filling that is both extremely durable as well as attractive. Those patients who have old metal fillings that have darkened with age find these natural-looking fillings to be much preferable to the old metal ones. These newer fillings may sometimes be referred to as porcelain fillings.

●Bonding material is made from a composite of a plastic resin and a type of glass. Because the resin is so flexible, the material can be easily shaped to restore a tooth that has been damaged or that is an unattractive shape. Because the resin is combined with glass material, you get a composite that matches the appearance of tooth enamel but is very durable. 

There are a few limitations to the bonding procedure. Bonding is not as strong as some of its counterparts, such as crowns. For some teeth that receive heavy wear and tear, your dentist might recommend a stronger method of repairing teeth. 

Bonding material doesn’t have the same high level of resistance to stains. But in the case of chipping or breaking, teeth bonding treatment can be repaired easily and quickly. To extend the life of your treatment, it is a good idea to avoid dark-colored foods and drinks to preserve the whiteness. And avoid chewing on hard objects, such as pens, pencils or ice cubes. 

There is one more important advantage to dental bonding. When a decayed tooth will be filled with silver amalgam material, more of that tooth enamel and dentin (the next layer down of tooth tissue) must be removed to make that metal filling work. A metal filling must be surrounded by tooth tissue for it to stay secure because the mixture of metals doesn’t actually bond to the tooth tissue itself. 

When dental bonding material is used to restore a decayed tooth instead, it actually does bond tightly to tooth tissue. So it can sit atop tooth tissue once decay has been removed. Less of your tooth enamel and dentin need to be removed to make this filling work. That means less time in the chair, less drilling and less discomfort. This is an important point for children or those people who are anxious about receiving dental care. 

With proper care that includes regular visits to your dentist, a repair made with dental bonding material can last for many years. Discuss this option with your dentist so that the two of you can make the right decision for your smile.