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The Advantages of Dental Bonding
It’s not unusual to feel shy about smiling if you have imperfections in your teeth. Stained teeth may inhibit you from smiling as often or as big as you would like. Having chips or gaps in your teeth can have a similar effect. But bonding can help you smile with confidence.
During a bonding procedure, a dentist bonds a tooth-colored resin, or plastic, to your tooth with an ultraviolet “curing” light. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective dental procedures used to make small cosmetic improvements to your teeth.
Unlike veneers and crowns, which are commonly used to make similar improvements, a bonding procedure usually takes just 30-60 minutes per tooth and is often complete in just one visit. Another advantage of dental bonding is that it requires less prep work than veneers or crowns, so more of your tooth enamel remains intact.
Dentists can even use bonding techniques to replace existing amalgam, or silver, fillings with more natural-looking composites. Although bonding a composite filling is basically the same procedure, anesthesia is usually required and it generally takes more than one visit to complete. Bonding can also be used to fill recent cavities that appear in your front teeth where aesthetics are especially important.
Some Disadvantages
While bonding is used to place composite fillings, it may not be the best solution for back teeth. Because composite restorations are less durable than silver filling, some dentists do not recommend using them for larger cavities, or on teeth that are more susceptible to wear. In addition, composites are less stain-resistant and don’t last as long as the materials used in other restorations, including crowns and veneers.
Wonder if you’re a good candidate for bonding? Consult a qualified dentist.
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