DENTAL BONDING

Dental bonding , also known as composite or tooth bonding, is an excellent way to fix cosmetic and structural imperfections in the teeth. Dental bonding can repair cracked, chipped, and discolored teeth as well as replace silver amalgam fillings. Cosmetic bonding can also repair misaligned teeth, providing a straighter, more uniform smile. To begin the teeth bonding procedure, the dentist selects a composite resin (dental bonding material) that matches the natural shade of your teeth. The dentist then roughens the existing tooth so the resin can adhere properly. Next, the composite resin is carefully applied to the tooth, shaped, and smoothed to achieve the desired look. It is then quickly hardened via a high intensity curing light. Lastly, the bonded tooth is buffed and polished so it has the same appearance as the surrounding teeth.

If you have a gap in between two of your front teeth but you don’t want braces, or you have a minor chip that is too small a problem for veneers you might be the perfect candidate for dental bonding. Whether your teeth have been chipped, stained or cracked dental bonding can help. In fact, dental bonding procedures are used not only to repair physical damage, but also hereditary flaws and some structural damage that has been caused by decay. Dental bonding involves the use of composite resin that is specially designed so that it can be color-matched to each patient’s teeth to provide a completely natural-looking result. As with most dental procedures, the more teeth a patient needs fixed, the longer the procedure will take, however minor dental bonding can usually be done in about an hour. The procedure involves a dentist first applying a priming solution to the patient’s damaged teeth (when decay is involved the damaged area will need to be drilled out first). The priming solution creates grooves that allow for proper adhesion of the composite resin bonding agent. The resin is then applied to the teeth in layers. After each layer is applied it is hardened with a powerful, specially designed light. Once the appropriate number of resin layers has been applied and hardened the tooth can be sculpted and polished until a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing result is achieved.
 

Gum colored composite offers a new approach to overcoming the aesthetic problem of gum recession. The exposed and frequently worn areas of teeth close to gum edge often lack a pleasing appearance when restored with conventional materials such tooth colored composite. It may well protect the underlying tooth from further wear but does nothing to address “the long in the tooth look” associated with aging and loss of gum tissue. This is where gum colored composite offers a paradigm shift in treatment. By using a gum shade to replace lost tooth substance the integrity of the root is protected and its appearance improved.