Improve The Appearance Of Your Teeth With Bonding

If you're not happy with the appearance of your front teeth, but you don't have the money for expensive cosmetic dental work, you should consider bonding. Dental bonding may be the solution if you have a chipped, uneven, or discolored tooth. You can have the procedure done on a single tooth, or applied to all of your front teeth if necessary. Bonding can completely change the appearance of your smile, and it is one of the more affordable cosmetic dental procedures you can have done. These are a few things to know.

Dental Bonding Procedure

When you have a tooth bonded, the dentist applies a resin substance to the surface of your tooth. Your enamel is scratched first to make the resin adhere better. Then the resin is molded to the desired shape. The resin can make a tooth longer, fill in a chip, or cover up discoloration. Your dentist can adjust the color so the bonded tooth matches the color of your natural teeth and blends in well. Once the resin is shaped, the dentist shines a curing light on it, which causes it to harden. Once it's hard, the dentist can do final touch ups such as filing off rough points.

Advantages Of Bonding

Bonding doesn't damage your tooth, which may help preserve its health. If you get a veneer instead, part of the enamel must be removed so the porcelain shell will fit. Enamel doesn't need to be removed for a tooth to be bonded. The only step necessary is to make the surface of the enamel rough so the resin will stick. Because the procedure is not painful, there is no need for an anesthetic. That makes bonding an ideal choice if you have a fear of needles or dental procedures.

Bonding is usually a quick procedure when compared to other forms of cosmetic dentistry. If you are having only one tooth bonded, the procedure can be completed in a single visit. Other cosmetic procedures often require multiple visits since a crown or veneer must be custom made in a dental lab after impressions are made.

Bonding a tooth can cost as little as $100. Compare that to prices for a veneer or crown that start at around $500. Since dental insurance usually doesn't pay for cosmetic procedures, bonding is the easiest on your budget.

The only downside to dental bonding is that it may not be suitable for large repairs. As long as your chip is small, bonding is ideal. If the damage to your tooth covers a large area, your dentist may recommend a crown instead. Talk to a cosmetic dentist, like those at NorthShore Family Dentistry, to learn more about this procedure.