Bonding And Tooth Color Dentistry

Bonding is a dental procedure that involves the use of a tooth-colored compound resin to repair discolored, chipped, decayed or fractured teeth.

Bonding is not made in a laboratory like veneers which need a personalized mold to get the correct fit. The dental professionals at Mesa Family Dental will complete the boding procedure in just one visit. The material used in bonding bonds to your tooth.

Why is Bonding used?

Bonding is generally used in cosmetic dentistry to enhance the look of a chipped or discolored tooth. It is an inexpensive and easy to apply dental procedures offered by the dental team at Mesa Family Dental. The material (composite resin) used in bonding is fashioned and then polished to look like the adjacent teeth.

If you have spaces between your teeth, bonding can be used to fill the gaps to lengthen your teeth, or it can be used to change the color or shape of your teeth. There are times when bonding is used as a substitute to combine fillings or used to protect a section of the root that is exposed when the gum moves away from the tooth.

Preparation: If you are having boding done no preparation is necessary. The only time anesthesia is needed in bonding is when a decayed tooth has to be filled.

The Process- How is bonding done?

Your dentist at Mesa Family Dental will help you decide which composite resin color closely resembles the color of your tooth. A shade guide is used to help you decide.

As soon as your dentist has selected the color the next step is abrading or etching the surface of the tooth slightly so that the tooth’s surface will become rough. Your dentist will then use a conditioning liquid to coat the tooth lightly. This helps the bonding material to stick to the tooth.

After preparing the tooth, the dentist will rub on the tooth colored resin. It is then fashioned and smoothed until it has the correct shape. Your dentist will now use a laser or an ultraviolet light to harden the material.

Trimming and shaping of the bonding is done by the dentist after the bonding material gets hard. The next step is to polish the bonding material to get a sheen that matches the surface of the tooth.

The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes to be completed. However, you will have to make several appointments at the dentist if you have other teeth to be done.

Caring for bonding tooth

After the bonding procedure some precautions are necessary in order to protect the tooth. There are some substances that will discolor the resin and these include: coffee, tea, cigarette and others.

Within the initial 48 hours after the procedure you can avoid or minimize stains by not consuming food that will discolor the resin. Brushing your teeth regularly and visiting your dental hygienist to have them cleaned will ensure that your bonded tooth gets the care that it needs.

What are the risks?

If you chew on pens or ice or bite your fingernails you can damage the material, this is because the composite resin which is used in bonding is not as strong as the natural tooth and chewing on anything hard can cause the material to chip. Bonding can last for several years but that too depends on oral care and habits and the amount of bonding that was done.

In addition, if within days after the bonding procedure you find out that the bonded teeth have sharp edges or there are chips or if pieces are falling out, call your dentist at Mesa Family Dental.

Schedule an appointment today!

We aim to provide comprehensive dental care to our patients in a safe and comfortable environment. Whether it is general dental care, restorative dental services or cosmetic procedures our goal is that good dental health is accomplished in a relaxed and enjoyable manner.