Dental bonding is a cosmetic dental procedure used to correct minor dental issues. If you have gapped, chipped, slightly crooked, stained, or misshapen teeth, dental bonding can help. This procedure can improve your smile without having to endure lengthy orthodontic treatments. Bonding can improve your teeth's appearance by making them brighter and more even. Dental bonding is also known as teeth, composite, or cosmetic bonding. The procedure entails applying a dental composite to improve teeth' color, size, and shape.
Candidates For Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is ideal for teeth with minor injuries and no extensive decay. If you lose a tooth or a larger portion of your tooth is decayed, your dentist would likely recommend a dental implant over bonding.
Tooth bonding is suitable for people who are comfortable with their teeth's color. If you want to whiten your teeth, your dentist can advise you to undergo the tooth whitening procedure before dental bonding. When choosing a bonding material, your dentist will choose one that resembles your natural teeth. If you whiten your teeth after dental bonding, only the natural enamel will get lighter, while the bonding material will retain its original color.
Dental bonding can be an option if you want to:
- Repair decayed teeth. If your teeth do not have extensive decay, your dentist can use composite resin to fill the dental cavities
- Repair cracked or chipped teeth
- Close the spaces between your teeth
- Change the shape of your teeth
- Make your teeth look longer
- Protect a portion of your tooth root exposed to gum recession.
Dental bonding is beneficial to people who are prone to dental cavities. The composite material dentists use during bonding creates a smooth surface on your tooth. It eliminates the tiny crevices where bacteria can collect and cause tooth decay.
A common question is whether tooth bonding is ideal for molars. Dental bonding is suitable for front teeth, but dentists rarely recommend it for molars. While the composite material used for bonding is strong, it might not be strong enough to withstand the intense pressure you apply to the molars when biting or chewing.
The Benefits Of Dental Bonding
Tooth bonding is one of the most common procedures in dentistry. The leading benefits of dental bonding include:
- Minimally invasive — The dentist does not need to remove portions of your teeth to place the bonding material. The dentist will shape and bond the composite resin directly onto the enamel.
- Color matching — Dentists can mold composites and match them to the color of the neighboring teeth for an authentic look.
- Versatility — Teeth bonding can conceal numerous dental imperfections, including cracks, chips, discoloration, and gaps
- Convenience — You can have dental bonding completed in one dental visit
- Safety — Dental bonding does not risk oral health, provided you have healthy teeth and gums.
- No recovery period — You do not need a recovery period after dental bonding.
- Durability — With proper care, the composite resin can last for up to ten years
- Affordability — Dental bonding is one of the most affordable dental procedures
- Reversibility — Dental bonding is reversible because it does not require enamel removal during application.
What To Expect During Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is not painful because your dentist will not work close to the nerves inside your teeth. In most cases, tooth bonding does not require anesthesia. You can have dental bonding for one or several teeth. Your dentist will spend between 30 and 60 minutes working on a tooth. The procedure will likely be completed in a single dental visit.
Here is what you should expect during dental bonding:
Preparation
Little or no preparation is needed before the bonding process. Unless the dentist uses bonding to fill decayed teeth, anesthesia is unnecessary. In the case of dental filling, your dentist will have to drill a hole in the tooth to remove the decayed portion, thus the need for anesthesia. Your dentist can use a shade guide to select the composite color that matches your natural teeth.
The Bonding Process
This process involves roughening the tooth's surface, after which the dentist applies a conditioning liquid. These procedures ensure that the composite bonding materials adhere to the surface of your teeth. Your dentist will then apply a tooth-colored resin material on the tooth, mold it, and smooth it as desired. The next step involves using a blue light or laser to harden the resin material. After hardening the resin material, your dentist will trim and shape it, then polish it to ensure it matches the rest of your teeth.
Completion Time
The tooth bonding process will take between 30 and 60 minutes per tooth to complete. Given some of the limitations of dental bonding, dentists consider it suitable for minor cosmetic changes or short-term correction of cosmetic issues. The procedure is ideal for correcting dental issues in areas of low bite pressure, especially the front teeth.
The Cost Of Dental Bonding
Most people consider teeth bonding an expensive cosmetic procedure. Typically, bonding costs between $300 and $600 per tooth. However, the cost can be as low as $100 to $200 per tooth or as high as $800 to $1000 per tooth. The factors that determine the cost of dental bonding include the following:
- The number of teeth being repaired because dentists charge you per tooth
- The complexity of the bonding procedure depends on the issues being repaired. Some methods require more time and use more composite resin than others.
- The dentist's credentials and experience will also determine the cost. A specialized dentist focusing solely on cosmetic dentistry will likely charge you more than a general dentist.
- The cost will also depend on the dentist's location. If a dentist practices in a high-demand or high-rent-cost area, you will likely pay more for dental bonding procedures.
You could also incur additional costs for the procedures performed before the dental bonding. For example, your dentist can perform a dental examination, professional cleaning, or professional teeth whitening before performing tooth bonding. You will incur additional costs for these procedures. Typically, dental bonding does not require anesthesia, multiple dental visits, or an orthodontist, so you will likely not incur extra costs on these.
Whether Dental Insurance Covers Dental Bonding
Your dental insurance can cover dental bonding fully or partially, depending on your deductible. The insurance will likely cover the procedure if you require tooth bonding to fix dental issues like cracked or chipped teeth. However, if you seek dental bonding purely for cosmetic reasons, your dental insurance might not cover it.
Before you book an appointment for dental bonding, you should find out how much the procedure will cost and whether your insurance will cover it. Many dental clinics have bonding packages and affordable payment plans. Some dentists even provide dental financing to their patients.
What To Expect After Dental Bonding
You can start eating immediately after a dental bonding procedure because resin dries fast. However, some people experience tooth sensitivity several days after the dental procedure. You should avoid cold or hot foods and beverages to minimize tooth sensitivity. Avoid hard and crunchy foods. If you experience discomfort, over-the-counter pain medication can help.
The first few hours after treatment, your teeth will likely feel different than normal. You could also feel like your speech is affected. However, these effects are short-lived and should not cause alarm. You should contact your dentist if your bite feels off. Also, contact your dentist if you notice sharp edges on bonded teeth or if the bonding cracks or falls off.
Patients rarely suffer allergic reactions to the bonding resin or develop infection after a dental bonding procedure. However, complications can arise if your dentist applies the bonding material over a pre-existing tooth infection. In this case, the infection can continue to spread beneath the resin, meaning your tooth could need root canal treatment or even extraction.
How Long Tooth Bonding Will Last
Dental bonding can go on for an average of five to ten years without needing a replacement. Usually, the longevity of tooth bonding depends on several factors, including the tooth location, oral hygiene, and eating habits. Dental bonding will likely last longer on the front teeth than on the back teeth since the front teeth are not subject to heavy biting pressure.
Most people often ask: how many times can you rebond a tooth?
You can undergo dental bonding as many times as you need to. However, you must have sufficient tooth structure for the bond to adhere to. It is crucial to note that the more a tooth undergoes the bonding procedure, the weaker it becomes. If bonding has failed three times, you should consider transitioning to dental veneers or crowns.
Taking Care Of Your Teeth After Dental Bonding
After tooth bonding, you can preserve the appearance of your teeth by observing proper oral habits. Here are some proven tips to sustain your teeth:
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth — You should ensure you brush your teeth at least twice daily. Using toothbrushes with hard bristles can damage your composite bonding.
- Use a non-abrasive toothpaste — You should not use an abrasive toothpaste because it can be too hard on your composite bonding. Abrasive toothpastes usually contain activated charcoal to enhance tooth whitening.
- Do not consume staining foods and drinks — Avoid foods that can stain your teeth, including berries, coffee, tea, red wine, and sports drinks. You should also avoid other staining products like tobacco. It is important to ensure that you do not consume staining foods in the first forty-eight hours after composite bonding.
- Using an alcohol-free mouthwash that contains ethanol can damage the composite resin on your bonding. If you have to use a mouthwash, ensure that it is alcohol-free.
- Limit acidity—Avoid acidic foods and beverages, such as juice and soda, as they could erode the composite resin. Rinse your mouth with water afterward if you consume acidic foods and beverages.
- Avoid hard foods — Avoid crunchy and hard foods because these can chip your composite resin. Stay away from foods like nuts, candy, and pretzels.
- Manage tooth grinding — If you grind your teeth, you should wear a mouthguard to prevent tooth damage. You can also manage the tooth grinding by practicing relaxation techniques.
- Avoid straining your teeth — You should ensure you only use your teeth to eat. Avoid using your teeth to remove tags, open packages, chew ice, pens, or nails. The bonding material can chip if you use your teeth to bite on surfaces. It is best to keep hard and sharp objects out of your mouth.
- Do not whiten your teeth after bonding — Teeth whitening only works in natural teeth but not bonded ones. Therefore, if you undergo tooth whitening after bonding, only the natural teeth will whiten while the bonded teeth remain darker.
- Visit your dentist often—To ensure that the bonding stays on your teeth longer, visit your dentist often for dental checking, professional cleaning, and polishing. Visiting your dentist keeps your mouth healthy and ensures that the bonding material functions appropriately.
Dental Bonding Versus Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a common alternative to tooth bonding. Veneers are made of custom shells. Dental veneers adhere to your teeth's surfaces. A dentist must remove enamel from a tooth to place a dental veneer. This cosmetic procedure is more costly and invasive than tooth bonding.
Choosing tooth bonding or dental veneers will depend on the extent of tooth damage. Dental bonding is ideal if you want to make minor changes to your teeth. On the other hand, veneers are ideal if you want to make major dental alterations to the shape and color of your teeth to give you a dramatic transformation.
Dentists complete the dental bonding procedure within one dental appointment. However, dental veneers require two to three dental appointments. Dental veneers do not stain, but bonding is susceptible to staining. While dental bonding lasts for five to ten years, dental veneers can last for ten to twenty years.
Find An Experienced Cosmetic Dentist Near Me
If you have gapped, chipped, or cracked teeth, you could be a good candidate for dental bonding. Dental bonding is a noninvasive cosmetic dental procedure that does not require enamel removal during application. For high-quality dental bonding services in Encino, CA, contact Lasting Impressions Dental Spa. Call us at 818-751-5100 to speak to one of our cosmetic dentists.
