Bonding

What is bonding?
Bonding is the application of a composite resin to the surface of a tooth to enhance its appearance or make it stronger. Bonding can be used to correct structural and cosmetic problems on both the front and back teeth.

Who?
Patients with broken, discolored, or decaying teeth are candidates for bonding. Minor cosmetic corrections to chipped teeth, stained and discolored teeth, and other small flaws can be corrected with bonding. Bonding can also be used to strengthen and resurface the chewing area of a tooth. The bonding material can be matched to your tooth color so unsightly silver feelings can be replaced with natural-looking material.

What are the primary benefits to bonding?
Bonding is a safe and comfortable process that is most often less invasive than a crown or filling. Since a filling must be cemented into the tooth, filling a tooth or crowning a tooth often involves removing healthy enamel and tissue. Resin composites are a less invasive option that provide a strong support structure to a damaged tooth while removing the minimum amount of healthy tissue.

How is bonding done?
For cosmetic enhancements (and repairing small cracks or chips) a small amount of resin is color-matched to your teeth (to ensure a natural look). A very light abrasive is applied to your teeth to create a slightly rough surface the resin can easily bond to. The resin is placed on the tooth (or teeth) a layer at a time, each layer receiving a flash of high intensity light to cure the resin on to your tooth's surface. When the last layer has been applied, the resin is sculpted into the proper shape and then polished. The final result is a perfectly shaped, natural-looking tooth you can be proud of.

When working with largely decayed and broken teeth, the dentist first prepares the tooth by removing any unhealthy material. She then makes a mold of the problem tooth together with the surrounding teeth. From this mold, a naturally-shaped resin cast (a “cast” is a partial manmade tooth) is formed in a dental lab. Your dentist seals the new tooth to your old tooth. This process creates a new porcelain “tooth” that is durable and natural appearing. The resin bonds with the tooth and the cast, so no cement is necessary. The color-matching process also gives the assurance of a completely natural looking tooth that does not stand out like a silver filling.

What are the benefits of bonding?
Bonded teeth are stronger than regular silver fillings and, with regular cleaning and maintenance, will last many years. Bonded teeth also look great.

Is any special care required?
Besides scheduling regular dental appointments, the bonded area will need to be brushed two to three times a day or as your dentist recommends.