Tooth Colored Bonding
What is Tooth-Colored Bonding?
Tooth-colored bonding has both cosmetic and restorative benefits for your smile. This non-invasive treatment can improve the overall appearance of a tooth and restore small areas of damage such as a chip or mild area of decay. Tooth-colored bonding utilizes a material called composite resin. This material is biocompatible with teeth and chemically bonds well with natural tooth structure, resulting in an extremely natural yet durable finish. Composite resin is made from a combination of smooth glass and plastic. It is available in various white shades and can be tinted to blend seamlessly with biological teeth.
Our prosthodontist, Dr. Bicakci, offers tooth-colored bonding services as a way to restore and repair teeth to increase oral function and improve the appearance of noticeable smile flaws. Here are some further important details to help you determine whether or not tooth-colored bonding is a suitable option to improve your smile.
Cosmetic Bonding
Tooth-colored bonding offers similar results to veneers. This type of treatment can conceal imperfections like chips and stains. The difference, however, is that bonding treatments do not last as long as porcelain veneers and are less expensive.
Receiving a bonding treatment normally does not produce discomfort although some patients may require a local anesthetic. Since the chemical structure of composite resin bonds well to teeth, there is very minimal need for tooth reduction. This means that composite resin can repair, restore, and improve the appearance of teeth quite conservatively.
Tooth-colored bonding may be utilized to give the appearance of properly spaced teeth along with providing smooth edges of jagged or broken teeth. If a patient has several damaged looking teeth, applying bonding treatments to multiple teeth can produce the appearance of a white, straight, and uniform smile. Composite resin is also an ideal material for filling in areas of mild to moderate tooth decay and for replacing old, amalgam fillings.
What to Expect During a Bonding Treatment
Since cosmetic bonding is minimally invasive, little preparation is required on the part of the patient. Patients report incredibly positive experiences during this type of treatment. Anesthesia is not typically required unless the bonding is being used to fill a decayed tooth or if the tooth needs to be drilled in order to change its shape. Our dentist in Lakeview will utilize a shade guide to closely match the color of the composite resin with that of your natural teeth.
First, the tooth or teeth being treated will be cleaned and dried off. A liquid dam and sterile piece of gauze might be used to keep treatment dry areas since composite resin is applied in liquid form and it sticks best to dry areas.
Treatment areas will be lightly prepared by gentle etching to create a slightly roughened surface for which the bonding material can adhere. The material itself is a putty-like resin that is molded into the desired shape. After our doctor has placed the desired amount of composite resin over the treatment area, a bright blue curing light will be used to harden the material. Final adjustments can be made by smoothing and filing down the bonding material to ensure a natural looking and beautiful result. After treatment, our patients will instantly see an improvement in the appearance of their teeth. The entire process takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete, so the total amount of time spent in the dental chair will depend on how many teeth you are getting done.
If you are interested in receiving bonding treatments, we recommend that you schedule a consultation with our prosthodontist to see if this service is right for you. When it comes to repairing teeth and restoring smiles, we can develop a custom treatment plan that addresses your unique needs.
Common Problems Tooth-Colored Bonding Can Improve
Now that you’ve heard the process about tooth-colored bonding, you may be curious as to whether or not you’re a candidate. Tooth-colored bonding is ideal to help improve the following:
- Decayed teeth, such as teeth that have cavities
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- To improve discoloration
- To close the gap between teeth
- To change the shape of teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To protect a portion of the tooth’s roots that has naturally occurred because of receding gums
- A cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
If you have specific questions on whether dental bonding is ideal to fix one or more of your smile imperfections, our dentist serving Lakeview and surrounding areas is happy to guide you toward the right procedures!
Common Questions
What can I do about stained or discolored teeth?
Aside from in-office and at-home whitening treatments, addressing permanent discoloration and tooth stains involves receiving professional restorations. Intrinsic and extrinsic tooth stains can be concealed with tooth-colored bonding, the application of composite resin over damaged or flawed areas of teeth, or porcelain veneers. Some permanent stains caused by medications, internal damage to tooth structure, or overexposure to fluoride in childhood cannot be lightened with whitening treatments. These types of stains can only be concealed with restorations. Our team is happy to provide you with guidance on which whitening method is best for your smile.
Cost of dentures without insurance?
When dental coverage falls short or if a patient does not have dental insurance, he or she will have to pay for their replacement teeth out of pocket. Fortunately, our prosthodontist offers custom, high-quality dentures that will last for years and years. We prefer to view receiving replacement teeth as an investment in one’s oral health. Since untreated tooth loss affects general wellbeing, paying for dentures is an investment in your overall quality of life, too. To learn more about the costs associated with receiving replacement teeth and your financing and payment options, call our office to speak with our knowledgeable staff.
What is tooth-colored bonding?
Tooth-colored bonding, also called cosmetic bonding, is a non-invasive treatment that involves applying composite resin over flawed and damaged surfaces of teeth. Composite resin is a compound that comes in various white shades to blend seamlessly with biological tooth structure. This compound can be used to conceal chipped, gapped, stained, and misshapen teeth. Bonding can also smooth out rough and jagged edges of teeth. When bonding is used on multiple treatment areas or used in conjunction with other restorations such as crowns and veneers, it can produce a total smile makeover.
Composite resin is ideal because it bonds to the tooth structure and will not cause damage to other teeth when contact is made between teeth during oral function. Tooth-colored bonding can also address mild areas of decay or be used to replace old metal fillings made from amalgam.
Is tooth-colored bonding expensive?
Receiving bonding treatments is actually quite affordable especially when compared to custom restorations and cosmetic enhancements made in dental laboratories. While bonding is less expensive than other alternatives, it may not last as long.
How long does tooth-colored bonding last?
The location of the tooth being restored plays a big factor in how long the tooth-colored bonding lasts. If the bonding is located near the edge of your tooth, it may not last as long because of the natural biting motion that takes a toll on the edges of our teeth. The type of foods that you are eating on a consistent basis can also play a huge role in how long the bonding lasts. Hard, chewy and crunchy foods will result in the bonding wearing down faster than it normally would. If patients have bonding on their two front teeth, many of them avoid biting directly into food with their two front teeth to help their tooth-colored bonding last for as long as possible. On average, bonding will last anywhere from 4-8 years depending on how well it’s taken care of.
How long does it take?
Applying composite resin to a tooth for cosmetic or restorative purposes normally takes about 30 minutes to an hour per tooth. Receiving bonding treatments is a same-day procedure and after treatment, patients will enjoy instant results.
Contact Our Team Today
At Chicago Dental Solutions, we understand what it takes to expertly navigate the entire tooth-colored bonding process. Dr. Bicakci and her seasoned team have three convenient locations from which you can choose, and we welcome new patients with open arms. We have the tools and knowledge to improve both the functionality and esthetics of your smile.
