Is Dental Bonding The Right Way To Treat Your Teeth?

Dental bonding technology can solve a myriad of cosmetic and structural issues, and is a tool relied upon by thousands of cosmetic dentists.

Debbie has a noticeable gap between her two front teeth but she doesn’t want to have to go through a course of expensive orthodontics. Bill has a small chip in his tooth that he reckons is too small for a veneer. These patients are the ideal candidates for a process known as dental bonding.

What does dental bonding do?

Dental bonding has a wide variety of uses. Chipped, cracked and stained teeth can be helped by dental bonding. Dental bonding can also hide hereditary flaws and forms of structural damage caused by decay.

Dental bonding uses composite resin that can be matched to the color of a patient’s teeth, creating results that look totally natural.

How does it work?

The dentist begins by examining the tooth area for decay and drilling that out before proceeding with bonding. The bonding procedure starts with the practitioner applying an etching solution to the damaged tooth, which creates small grooves that create a base for adhesion of the composite resin.

Once the solution sets, the composite resin is then applied in layers. Each layer is hardened with a specially designed light device. After the layers are in place and hardened, they can be sculpted and polished to assume the shape of a natural tooth. This is where the skill of the dentist comes into play.

A great advantage is that many dental bonding procedures can be completed in about an hour in the dentist’s chair. Of course, more advanced cases will take longer than that.

Is bonding covered by insurance?

Insurance companies often cover dental bonding procedures, especially when your current situation is causing pain or discomfort. Out-of-pocket costs are still favorable compared with other treatment options.

What did they do before dental bonding?

Before dental bonding technology was developed, teeth were reshaped with silver amalgam fillings. These could be unsightly and required more of the natural tooth to be removed.

Are there any precautions I should take?

There is a very slight chance you could be allergic to the resin used in this procedure. If you are the least bit worried about this, see an allergist who can check for you. After all, it’d be a shame to do all that dental work, only to find it must come out. In most cases there will be no reaction.