Dental bonding is a quick, inexpensive and easily accessible option for repairing damaged teeth, hiding serious stains and perfecting the appearance of flawed teeth. Bonding isn’t the only option, but it’s one that is less expensive and less invasive than options like dental crowns or porcelain veneers. Is bonding the right choice to help you to say goodbye to the flaws in your teeth? Here’s what you need to know about this potentially transformative process.
What is dental bonding?
Bonding is the application of composite resin putty onto your teeth to hide or correct flaws or damage. The bonding process starts with your dentist using a shade guide to match the resin material to the color of your natural teeth. Your dentist in South Tampa will then roughen the surfaces that are going to be bonded before applying a special liquid to help the resins to adhere securely to the prepared tooth. A dentist near you will then apply the resin material into, over and around the tooth as required before shaping and trimming the material. Once the bonded surfaces have been cured using a special ultraviolet light, your dentist will trim and polish the bonded surfaces to match the texture and sheen of your other teeth.
What can bonding help you accomplish?
Bonding resins are used to fill cavities and to create “white” or tooth-colored fillings.
Dental bonding in South Tampa can be used to repair chips, cracks and grooves in teeth.
If your teeth are stained or discolored in ways that can not be bleached away, bonding can be used to cover those stains.
Composite resin bonding materials can be used to fill gaps between your teeth, make short teeth longer and to change the shape of misshapen or inconsistently shaped teeth.
If you have suffered from periodontal disease or any other cause of receding gums, some portion of the roots of your teeth may be exposed. Those exposed roots can cause significant tooth sensitivity. A dentist near you can apply bonding materials to the exposed portions of those roots to protect you from tooth sensitivity and to protect those roots.
How to maintain the presence of your newly bonded teeth
Taking care of the bonded surfaces of teeth does not require any special techniques or products, but does — because bonding can be vulnerable to staining — require diligent daily dental hygiene. Here are the simple steps to follow:
● Brush your teeth at least twice daily using firm but gentle circular brushing motions
● Floss around each tooth and along each section of your gums at least once daily
● Use an antibacterial mouthwash once daily
● Have your teeth cleaned by your dentist at least once annually
● Receive all dental treatment recommended by your dentist to deal with any symptoms of tooth decay or gum disease as soon as possible
● If at your dental checkups or teeth cleanings, your dentist notices any chips or cracks on the bonded surfaces of your teeth, those bonded surfaces can be fixed quickly
Dental bonding has a couple of significant advantages compared to other options like veneers and crowns. Bonding doesn’t require the alteration of your teeth like veneers and crowns do. Bonding can be applied to perfect your teeth in a single appointment compared to multiple appointments and weeks-long process of being fit with crowns or veneers. To find out if getting dental bonding near you can help you to achieve your goals, make an appointment with a dentist near you.