Dental Bonding Farmersville, TX | Van Alstyne, TX

More About Cosmetic Bonding

What Is Cosmetic Bonding?

Dental bonding is a procedure that uses a tooth-colored composite resin to repair a tooth. Bonding can be used on teeth that are decayed, chipped, broken or discolored. The procedure is known as bonding because the material bonds to the tooth. Unlike porcelain veneers, dental bonding in Farmersville and Van Alstyne Texas, can be done in a single visit. Porcelain veneers are another way to repair some teeth, they are made in a laboratory and require a customized impression (mold) to achieve a proper fit.

What It’s Used For:

Bonding is one of the easiest and least costly cosmetic dental treatments. The resin used in bonding can be shaped and polished to match the other teeth. Most often, bonding is used by Our Dentists to improve the appearance of discolored or chipped tooth. It also can be used to:

• Close spaces between teeth
• Make teeth look longer
• Change the shape or color of teeth
• Sometimes, bonding is used to protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede.

Preparation:

The tooth needs only a small amount of preparation for bonding. Anesthesia (Novocain) often is not necessary.

How It’s Done:

Your dentist will use a shade guide to select a color that will most closely match the color of the tooth. He or she will shape the tooth with a drill if necessary, then etch the surface of the tooth with an acid to roughen it. The tooth will be washed and coated with a conditioning liquid. These steps help the bonding material to stick.

Your dentist will then apply the resin in layers. Each layer will be need to be completely hardened, or cured by an ultraviolet light or laser before the next one is applied. Different colors also can be layered to more closely match your natural tooth shade.

Once the bonding material has hardened, your dentist will further trim and shape it. Then he will polish it to match the sheen of the rest of the tooth.

The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour per tooth. If you’re having more than one tooth done, you may need a longer appointment or several visits.

Follow-Up:

Tea, coffee, cigarette smoke and other substances can stain the resin used in bonding. Be especially careful to avoid eating or drinking anything that can stain your bond for the first 48 hours after the procedure. In addition, brush your teeth often. Have them cleaned regularly by our dental hygienist.

Risks:

The composite resin used in bonding isn’t nearly as strong as a natural tooth structure. Biting your fingernails or chewing on ice or a pen can chip the material. Bonding usually lasts several years before it needs to be repaired. How long it actually lasts depends on how much bonding was done and your habits.

When to Call Us:

In the days after you have the bonding done, call us if you notice sharp edges on the bonded teeth. Also call if your teeth feel strange or “off” when you bite down. Please call Harvest Dental at 469-812-7100 if, at any time, the bonding chips or if pieces fall out.