Dental bonding – also known as teeth bonding – is the procedure to apply a resin material that comes in the colour of the tooth. it is then hardened with a special light to bond with the tooth. Resin material used in this procedure is nothing but a plastic substance with high durability. The procedure helps restoring or improving an individual’s smile.
The purpose it serves
Teeth bonding procedure is an excellent option to make your teeth appear younger. Composite resin is used to fill tooth cavities. Thus, the procedure repairs decayed and diseased teeth. It closes spaces between the teeth as can repair a cracked or chipped tooth. in addition to the factors mentioned above it improves the appearance of your discoloured teeth.
The procedure
Preparatory steps – little advance preparation is required for teeth bonding procedure. Usually, anaesthesia is not administered on these patients and on whole the procedure can be said to a painless one. However, anaesthesia may be needed in the following circumstances –
- When bonding is used to fill a decayed tooth
- When the tooth requires drilling to change the shape
- The chip is located very near the nerve
Dentists make use of a shade guide to select a colour of the composite resin that closely matches with that your tooth.
The process of bonding – first the surface of the tooth is roughened. This is done by a conditioning liquid. Roughening of the tooth surface allow the bonding material adhere better to the tooth. the putty-like resin in colour of the tooth is first applied and then moulded. Finally, it is smoothed to a desired shape. Finally, it is hardened fast using a bright light or UV ray although laser is also used as a replacement to it. Once the material gets hardened the dentist has to further trim and shape it. Lastly it is polished to match the shine of the rest of your teeth.
Approximate time for the procedure
The process of tooth bonding requires anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour for each tooth. the solution has certain limitation. As a result, dentists consider it ideal only for small cosmetic or aesthetic changes. It is also used for short term correction of various dental cosmetic problems. The solution proves effective correcting the teeth across areas of very low bite pressure. You may discuss your candidature for this procedure with your dentist if you are interested.
Benefits the procedure offers
It is a very common cosmetic dentistry procedure all over the world including the UK. One of the major reasons behind this popularity is its reasonable cost. The procedure is easily affordable. Most cosmetic dentistry treatments are too expensive compared to it particularly dental crowns and veneers. But it offers almost the same mileage as those costly variants. In addition to everything mentioned above, some dental insurance plans do cover most of the cost of this procedure all the more if it is done for structural reasons or to fill a cavity.
Convenience or ease
Anaesthesia or any other kind of sensation numbing drug is administered on these patients, unless one is filling up a decayed tooth. Unlike that in crowns and veneers, this procedure involves removing only a very small part of the tooth enamel to roughen up the tooth surface a little so that the composite resin material can bond with the tooth better.
Speed
If you have a pressing schedule to visit your dentist’s office time and again, then this procedure is perfect for you. It requires only one dental visit and typically lasts 30 minutes to an hour for each tooth. There is no need to see the dentist after the treatment as a part of post treatment checkups.
Benefits to your oral health
Dental bonding procedure makes use of composite resin which is used to fill up tooth cavities and other diseases that affect the tooth. it not only arrests tooth decay and prevent it from spreading further but also fortifies the walls of the tooth. in addition to that the material forms a powerful and sustainable bond with the inner portion of the teeth. As a result, your decayed and diseased tooth gathers greater strength and longevity.
Contributions to aesthetic cause
This cosmetic dentistry procedure is ideal to hide minor oral cosmetic flaws or imperfections. The bonding material performs the following improvements –
- Lighten your smile
- Close gaps between adjacent teeth (gapped teeth problem)
- Makes the teeth appear longer, more attractive and proportionate
In addition to the factors mentioned above it makes your teeth appear straighter to gift you a beautiful smile. Last but nevertheless the least, sufficient care is taken to match the composite resin with the natural colour of your teeth. As a result, your bonded tooth remains cent percent identical to the rest of your natural teeth. It is practically impossible to identify it separately from the rest.
Aftercare instructions you must adhere to
Dental composite bonding treatment does not require much special care. So do not have to spend a lot of time and effort over its maintenance. However, you must take little care of your bonded tooth so that it keeps looking just like your natural ones and cannot be separated out distinctly. Moreover, your care and effort also extends the life of your bonded tooth considerably.
Here are a few tried and tested tips to take proper care and maintenance of your bonded teeth –
- Maintain sound oral hygiene habits every single day – brush and floss the teeth properly. In addition to that use a antibacterial mouthwash to rinse the mouth with.
- Visit your dentist for routine checkups every six months.
- Cut down your daily consumption of popular beverages like tea, coffee and red wine to prevent tooth staining.
- Drink lot of water after each meal to wash away food particles stuck between the teeth. This practice also helps reducing acid level in your mouth.
- Give up smoking or any other kind of tobacco consumption to save the teeth from staining.
- Quit habits and activities that can chip your bonded tooth. those activities include – nail biting, chewing on ice, chewing on pen and pencil tips or caps, opening beer bottles with the teeth instead of bottle-openers.
If your tooth that underwent composite dental bonding treatment develops sharp edge or if it feels odd while biting down, you must visit your dentist immediately.