Bonding is a composite resin filling
placed in the back teeth as well as the front teeth.
Composites are the solution for restoring decayed teeth,
making cosmetic improvements and even changing the color
of your teeth or the reshaping of teeth. Bonding will
lighten any stains you may have, close up minor gaps
and can be used to correct crooked teeth. Basically,
bonding will cover any natural flaws applying a thin
coating of a plastic material on the front surface of
your teeth. After this, your cosmetic dentist will apply
a bonding material and sculpt, color and shape it to
provide a pleasing result. A high-intensity light then
hardens the plastic, and the surface is finely polished.
How is Tooth Bonding Accomplished?
A very mild etching solution is applied
to your teeth to create very small crevices in the tooth's
enamel structure. These small crevices provide a slightly
rough surface permitting a durable resin to bond materials
to your teeth. The resin is then placed on your tooth
and high-intensity light cures the resins onto your
tooth's surface - with each individual layer of resin
hardening in just minutes. When the last coat has been
applied to your tooth, the bonded material is then sculpted
to fit your tooth and finely polished.
The resin comes in many shades so
that we can match it to your natural teeth. Due to the
layers involved, this procedure will take slightly longer
than traditional silver fillings because multiple layers
of the bonding material are applied. Typically bonding
takes an hour to two hours depending on your particular
case.
Advantages & Disadvantages of
Tooth Bonding
Advantages of dental bonding:
Esthetics is the big advantage over silver fillings.
As silver does not stick to teeth, entirely healthy
tooth structure is usually removed to keep a silver
filling in place. Composites permit your cosmetic dentist
to remove only the decayed area of your tooth. Unlike
silver fillings, composite bonding expand just like
your teeth and are much less likely to cause cracks
in your tooth. Composites bond directly to the tooth
providing support. Composites can be used to fill in
cracks, chips and gaps - and will match the color of
your other teeth.
Disadvantages of the dental
bonding procedures:
Bonding with composites simply costs more in material
and time. Bonding material is porous, so smokers will
find that their bonding will yellow. If you think you
are a candidate for bonding, discuss it with your dentist.
Types of Tooth Bonding Procedures
There are two types of bonding. What
type is indicated in your situation depends upon whether
you have a small area or a larger area that requires
correction.
For small corrections
These are one appointment fillings
which are color-matched to the tooth and are bonded
to the surface for added strength. These are most appropriate
for small fillings and front fillings as they may not
be as durable for large fillings.
For larger corrections
Dental lab-created tooth-colored fillings
require two appointments and involve making a mold of
your teeth and placing a temporary filling. A dental
laboratory then creates a very durable filling to custom-fit
the mold made from your teeth. These fillings are typically
made of porcelain. The custom-fit filling is then bonded
to your tooth on your return visit. This type is
even more natural looking, more durable and more stain
resistant.
