Dental bonding is a dental procedure in which a dentist applies a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) and hardens it with a special light. This ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth and improves the overall appearance of teeth. Tooth bonding techniques have various applications including operative dentistry and preventive dentistry as well as cosmetic and pediatric dentistry.
Bonding is an alternative to veneers, and can be used as a restorative procedure for teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misarranged.
How does dental bonding work?
Bonding is process of applying a plastic material to your existing teeth. To make sure that the material sticks, the current tooth is etched slightly first. Once the tooth is correctly etched, the bonding liquid(like an adhesive) is applied to the etched surface and is left to set. Once the liquid sets, a plastic resin is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.
The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. Bonding is used by Dr Sandhu to close gaps between teeth, lengthen teeth as well as to re-contour the entire mouth rather than using crowns. However, since the plastic resin used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it is more likely to stain, chip or break than natural teeth. Bonding typically lasts three to five years before need of repair.
