What Can Dental Bonding Fix?

Young business woman smiling

A bright smile can open doors and warm relationships. Smiling can make you look and feel younger and more attractive, and it can lower your blood pressure, relieve stress, boost endorphins and make you feel more positive. If you do not like the way your smile looks, you are unlikely to smile as often as you would otherwise. Our smile makeover dentist can help. We offer cosmetic treatments that can improve your smile.

One popular option is bonding. Bonding is a procedure that uses composite resin to make small changes in the appearance of one or more teeth. You might be a candidate for cosmetic bonding if your teeth are healthy with sufficient enamel to support the bonding and if you have minor cosmetic flaws.

Common issues that can be corrected by dental bonding include:

  • Small cavities
  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Discolored or stained teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Short or narrow teeth
  • Worn enamel
  • Enamel irregularities
  • Irregularly shaped teeth

The procedure is performed in our office and generally is completed in a single appointment. There is typically no need for anesthesia, and preparation is minimal. With good care, a bonded tooth can last for years. Call our office today to find out more about how dental bonding can transform your smile or to schedule your appointment with our team.

What is Tooth Bonding?

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Patients will be happy to know that tooth bonding is the easiest and least expensive dental treatment today. It is used in the field of cosmetic dentistry to correct aesthetic issues and perfect the look of the teeth.

Our cosmetic dentists in Houston will recommend dental bonding for several reasons. It can be used to change the shape of the teeth, such as to make them longer or wider. Bonding can also be used cover damage, such as dips and crevices in dental enamel, as well as cracks and chips. It is also a great way to fill in spaces between teeth without utilizing an orthodontic appliance. Teeth that feature intrinsic stains can be covered with dental bonding when teeth whitening treatment won’t be effective.

The dental bonding material is a composite resin that matches the color of dental enamel. Our expert in tooth bonding in Houston molds and shapes it in order to fill in space properly and flush. After it is in place, they polish it to match the natural sheen of the teeth.

After your teeth are perfected with tooth bonding, it is best to avoid smoking, as well as staining foods and drinks, as composite resin can become discolored.

Uses of Dental Bonding

Applying dental bonding is one of the easiest and least expensive cosmetic dental procedures available today. Many cosmetic flaws in a smile can be fixed using this method. The bonding material is a composite resin, or type of plastic, that can be molded by our dental bonding dentist in Los Angeles to meet your needs.

Dental bonding can be used to:

  • Cover stains and discoloration
  • Fill in chips and cracks
  • Fill in gaps between teeth
  • Change the shape of a small or uneven tooth
  • Act as an alternative to amalgam fillings
  • Protect a tooth root if the gums have receded

To apply bonding, our cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles must first abrade and roughen the teeth in order for the material to adhere properly. You will work together to decide the shade of resin that best matches the enamel of your other teeth. The tooth will then be coated lightly with a conditioning liquid, which also helps the resin to bond.

The dental bonding is then applied, molded, and smoothed until it resembles a perfect and healthy tooth. An ultraviolet laser is used for hardening. As the material continues to harden, our expert will continue to trim and shape it. Finally, it will be polished for a natural, shiny look.

Pros and Cons of Dental Bonding

Dental assistant smiling at camera
Dental bonding utilizes composite resin in order to fix chips, cracks, and discolorations of the teeth. It can also be used to lengthen teeth and to fill in cavities after they have been treated. As with most dental procedures, there are pros and cons associated with dental bonding.

One of the biggest pros of dental bonding is that it is very aesthetically pleasing. Bonding can be made to match the color of your natural tooth. When a cavity is filled with a tooth-colored filling, it is bonding material that is being referred to. Dental bonding is also one of the more cost effective procedures in dentistry. Most issues, such as chipped teeth and lengthening teeth, can be done by our cosmetic dentist in North Hollywood during the course of a single appointment.

One of the cons of dental bonding is that it is not resistant to stains. Especially on front teeth, dental bonding may stain over time as it is exposed to coffee, tobacco, and carbonated beverages. When it comes to filling cavities, bonding is not as strong as amalgam or gold fillings. This may result in bonding needing to be replaced more frequently. Additionally, if you plan on having your teeth whitened, it will not be able to whiten the bonding. This will result in the rest of your teeth being whiter, but your bonding staying the same color.

If you are interested in learning if dental bonding is the right cosmetic option for you, contact our expert in dental bonding in North Hollywood to schedule a consultation.