Dental Bonding
Give your smile a "face lift" with Dental Bonding
Dental Bonding is a procedure that can be used to make small, cosmetic changes to the front of a tooth. Dr. Jivraj uses bonding to repair cracks, chips and flaws in teeth or to whiten them for a gentle “face lift” as an alternative to more lengthy cosmetic procedures.
With Dental Bonding, a tooth-colored resin material is applied to the surface of a tooth and hardened with a special light, which ultimately "bonds" the material to the tooth to restore or improve person's smile. Dental bonding can be a more affordable alternative to veneers, but porcelain veneers can provide a longer-lasting results. Click here to see the advantages and disadvantages of Dental Bonding versus Porcelain Veneers.
What conditions can Dental Bonding fix?
Dental bonding is an option that can be considered:
- To repair decayed teeth (composite resins are used to fill cavities)
- To repair chipped or cracked teeth
- To improve the appearance of discolored teeth
- To close spaces between teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To change the shape of teeth
- As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
- To protect a portion of the tooth's root that has been exposed when gums recede
Free Cosmetic Consultation
The first step in any cosmetic procedure is to do a full examination of your teeth and mouth and then review with you the different options to give you a beautiful smile. Many cosmetic procedures can be done without cutting or with minimal preparation — and affordably, and yet make a tremendous difference to your smile.
Dr. Jivraj offers a Free Cosmetic Consultation to evaluate your teeth and gums and show you different ways you can improve your smile. We can take pictures of your teeth and — using cosmetic imaging software — manipulate them to show you how your smile would look using different procedures.
Call 805-351-4933 to schedule your free cosmetic consultation or click here to request an appointment online.
Dr Jivraj’s Bonding Results
For this patient, Dr. Jivraj closed a gap in their front teeth as
part of a simple smile make-over.
This patient came to us with chipped teeth. Dental bonding
was used to restore her teeth to their natural shape and color.
This patient’s chipped front teeth were restored and whitened
with dental bonding.
This patient’s teeth were whitened in a single visit using
Dental Bonding.
Advantages and disadvantages of Dental Bonding
- Advantages:
Dental bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. Unlike veneers and crowns, which are customized tooth coverings that must be manufactured in a laboratory, bonding usually can be done in one office visit unless several teeth are involved. Another advantage, compared with veneers and crowns, is that the least amount of tooth enamel is removed. Also, unless dental bonding is being performed to fill a cavity, anesthesia is usually not required.
- Disadvantages:
Although the material used in dental bonding is somewhat stain resistant, it does not resist stains as well as crowns. Another disadvantage is that the bonding materials do not last as long nor are as strong as other restorative procedures, such as crowns, veneers, or fillings. Additionally, bonding materials can chip and break off the tooth.
Because of some of the limitations of dental bonding, it is best suited for small cosmetic changes, for temporary correction of cosmetic defects, and for correction of teeth in areas of very low bite pressure (for example, front teeth). Porcelain veneers or crowns are stronger, longer lasting and better resistant to stains.
Procedure for Having a Tooth Bonded
- Preparation.
Little advance preparation is needed for dental bonding. Anesthesia is often not necessary unless the bonding is being used to fill a decayed tooth. Dr Jivraj will use a shade guide to select a composite resin color that will closely match the color of your tooth.
- The bonding process.
Next, the surface of the tooth will be roughened and a conditioning liquid applied. These procedures help the bonding material adhere to the tooth. The tooth-colored, putty-like resin is then applied, molded, and smoothed to the desired shape. An ultraviolet light or laser is then used to harden the material. After the material is hardened, your dentist will further trim and shape it, and polish it to match the sheen of the rest of the tooth surface.
- Time-to-completion.
Dental bonding takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete.
Call 805-351-4933 to schedule an examination and discuss your options or click here to request an appointment online.
