Dental Bonding

What is dental bonding?

Dental bonding, also called direct bonding, repairs dental problems using a composite resin that’s applied directly to the tooth. The resin matches your existing tooth color, and it forms a strong bond with the tooth, making it an excellent choice for a variety of dental concerns.

Dental bonding is used to:

• Fill cavities
• Repair chipped or cracked teeth
• Improve the appearance of discolored teeth
• Close gaps between teeth
• Make teeth look longer
• Change the shape of teeth

Many patients improve their appearance by replacing silver amalgam fillings with composite resin.

What are the benefits of dental bonding?

Dental bonding lasts 5-10 years, depending on your overall dental health, your daily brushing routine, and which teeth were bonded. Problems such as tooth decay and pressure from grinding your teeth while you sleep may reduce the lifespan of bonding.

Another benefit is that dental bonding doesn’t require anesthesia because the material is simply applied to the surface of your tooth. However, a local anesthetic is usually used if the resin is used to repair a cavity.

Bonding also preserves more of your natural tooth. Very little, if any of the existing tooth enamel is removed to prepare the tooth for the composite resin.

Why should I consider teeth whitening before bonding?

The resin is tinted to match your existing teeth, and once it’s applied, it doesn’t whiten as well as your natural enamel. If your existing teeth are stained and you have them whitened after bonding, the resin stays the same darker color. For this reason, many patients have their teeth whitened before having dental bonding.

What should I expect during dental bonding?

Dental bonding begins by choosing the color that matches your teeth. Then the resin is applied directly to the surface of your tooth, and your dentist molds it until it’s the desired shape.

A curing light is used to harden the resin, and then your dentist finishes your procedure by polishing the tooth. The entire procedure usually takes about 30-60 minutes per tooth.

How do I care for dental bonding?

Composite resin isn’t quite as strong as your natural enamel, so your bonding lasts longer if you avoid chewing on hard objects such as ice, pens, and hard candy. Otherwise, you only need to brush and floss and continue to have regular checkups. 

If you have questions about dental bonding or to schedule an appointment, call Smiles in Springfield or use the online booking system.