Dental Bonding _Teeth Bonding 101 Everything You Need to Know Dr. Bruce Martinson DDS Bruce Martinson DDS General, Cosmetic, Restorative, Preventative, Family Dentist in Wayzata, MN 55391

Teeth Bonding 101: Everything You Need to Know

What Is Teeth Bonding?

It is a dental procedure in dentistry that repairs natural teeth using composite resin. Dental bonding near you is particularly a restorative procedure for cosmetic dentistry. It means that if a dentist near you performs dental bonding, the goal is to improve the aesthetics of your smile.

Composite is a tooth-colored putty-like material popular in dentistry for repairing and restoring teeth structures. It has an aesthetic advantage to your smile since a dentist can match it to the color of your natural teeth.

What Does Teeth Bonding Entail?

Composite or dental bonding in Wayzata comprises a quick and painless in-office procedure. The dentist does not need to prepare your teeth before the treatment unless in special cases. Instead, your dentist will roughen the tooth’s surface with a conditioning liquid to aid adherence. After that, (s)he will apply the composite resin to your tooth and mold it accordingly. To cure and harden the resin, the dentist uses laser technology. After that, (s)he will remove any excess composite on your tooth, polishing it for the final natural glare.

When Is Dental Bonding Necessary?

Any patient who wants to improve the appearance of their smile can benefit from dental bonding procedures. At Bruce Martinson Family Cosmetic Dentistry, we recommend dental bonding for addressing the following dental problems:

  1. Spaces between teeth – the small gaps between your teeth can be unsightly when you smile. Composite bonding can close them to achieve a beautiful symmetry.
  2. Broken, chipped, or cracked teeth – commonly due to dental trauma after injuries or excessive teeth grinding.
  3. Oddly shaped teeth – can be too pointy, rounded, or unusually short.
  4. Stained teeth – discoloration that does not typically respond well to enamel bleaching can be masked with composite bonding.
  5. Dental cavities – sometimes dentists use composites as alternative materials for filling decayed teeth. Composites are cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing alternatives to metal-based fillings like gold and amalgams.
  6. Crooked and misaligned teeth – instead of getting braces for minor malpositioning of your teeth, try composite bonding.

Why Choose Composite Bonding Over its Counterparts?

In cosmetic dentistry, you can choose dental veneers or teeth crowns as alternatives to composite bonding. However, there are several benefits to dental bonding compared to other cosmetic approaches, including the following:

  1. Painless and non-invasive procedure – you do not have to worry about surgery or shaving your enamel.
  2. Natural-looking results – composites have subtle light-reflecting features that make them look natural as the rest of your teeth.
  3. Quick procedure – if you are looking to be in and out of the dentist’s office in minutes, you will opt for dental bonding over other cosmetic restorations. It takes about 45 minutes or less to restore a tooth with a composite bonding procedure.
  4. Reversibility – since no invasive dental protocols are involved in the treatment, you can reverse it. After removing the composite resin from your teeth, they will still be intact.
  5. Cost-effective – compared to porcelain, composites are affordable. Besides, little preparation is needed to get composites than is the case with porcelain veneers and dental crowns.

How Long Does Dental Bonding Stay on Teeth?

Although your incredible results will last longer than a few months, they are not forever. Your teeth can remain intact between 5 and 10 years. Ideally, the better you care for your teeth, the longer they last. Some of the things you must do to increase the longevity of composite bonding are:

  1. Keep your teeth free from plaque and tartar – composites are not stain-resistant. If you do not keep your mouth clean, your new teeth will also stain.
  2. Avoid hard foods – anything that can crack or break your natural teeth will also damage your composites. Besides, composites are not nearly as strong as your natural teeth’ enamels.
  3. Routine dental exams and cleanings – provide your dentist a chance to examine your composites to ensure they are in great shape at all times.
  4. Wear a mouthguard – especially as an athlete involved in high-contact sports or extreme physical activities.
  5. Seek treatment for teeth grinding – which is a bad oral habit that will wear down your teeth and damage your composites.