Sometimes a person can have an accident, which can result in a chipped tooth or there could be discoloration of a tooth. There can be physical damage to the tooth as well. In these cases, the dentist can apply a tooth-colored composite resin to the teeth, which can improve the appearance of your smile. Plastic resin would be a suitable option for the tooth for a variety of reasons.

Dental bonding is possible in a single visit to the dentist. It’s a suitable option for decayed, damaged, discolored, or fractured. Bonding can also reshape the tooth and fill in small gaps between teeth so you can have a gorgeous smile.

It’s called “dental bonding” because the composite resin used actually bonds to the teeth, hence the name dental bonding.

What is the procedure of dental bonding?

The procedure for dental bonding is as follows:

Selecting the Composite Resin Shade:

First, the dentist selects a shade from a shade guide according to the shade of an individual’s teeth. It is important to use the right kind of shade in order to make it look like your natural color tooth. The dentist will choose the shade closest in appearance to the original color of your teeth.

• Roughing the Bonding Surface:

After selecting the right shade for the tooth dentist will roughen the surface of the tooth where the bonding will be done. The purpose of this step is ensure the composite adheres firmly to the tooth.

• Acid Etching the Tooth:

After gently roughing the tooth surface, the dentist will use an acid compound to further etch the surface of the part of the tooth the composite will adhere to. The purpose of doing this is to further enhance the bonding to the tooth.

• Applying the Composite Resin:

After preparation of the tooth and selecting the appropriate shade, the dentist applies a putty-like resin to the tooth. It’s important to give the correct shape to the resin. The dentist will continue to do so until a proper tooth shape is formed.

• Curing the Resin:

With the help of a laser or ultraviolet light, the dentist hardens the material.

• Trim and Shaping of Tooth:

When the material hardens, the dentist will further enhance the shape of the tooth by trimming and shaping it.

• Polishing:
  The dentist then polishes the tooth to make it look like the rest of the teeth in the mouth.

This particular procedure of dental bonding typically takes about thirty minutes, but it could be as long as an hour if more than one tooth is involved. It is important to keep in mind that if you are getting the procedure for more than a single tooth, there may be multiple visits required to the dentist.

After getting the procedure, it is important to keep the following points in mind:

• Using tea or coffee can cause staining in the resin.
• Tobacco use and wine drinking can also stain the composite resin.
• Avoid consuming anything that can stain the teeth, especially 48 hours after the procedure.
• Brush your teeth on regular basis. Remember oral hygiene is very important for the health of your teeth. Take care of your teeth in order to make them last longer. It is quite expensive to replace a missing tooth or to get a root canal, dental crown, dental implant, and even to get fillings. If you have tooth decay, see a dentist as soon as possible before focusing on anything else.
• Visit your dental hygienist regularly for routine cleanings and checkups.

Remember, the bonding material used is not as strong as your tooth enamel. If you bite your nails, chew on ice, or other hard substances, there are chances of chipping the material. Always take care of oral hygiene in order to avoid any complications in the future.

Dental bonding is likely to last several years before needing to be redone. How long dental bonding may last depends on the oral habits of each individual and how well they’ve been taking care of their teeth. There is a lot of emphasis on oral hygiene for a good reason.

Some of the cons of dental bonding are as follows:

Discoloration: There is a possibility of discoloration of the composite resin after dental bonding. Using coffee, tea, wine, or tobacco can stain the resin, which would create a shade difference between your natural teeth and the bonding. It is extremely important to abstain from these kinds of food and drinks, especially after getting the procedure. It would be best to avoid it for up to 48 hours after your procedure. Smokers should consult with the dentist before getting bonding done.

Durability: Dental bonding material is not as durable as your natural enamel. The bonding can chip and break off easier than natural tooth material. However, if you take proper care of your teeth, they can last several years or more.

In order to increase the lifespan of dental bonding, it would be wise to keep the following tips in mind:

• Decrease the intake of teeth-staining substances. Wine, coffee, tea, tobacco products, and the like, cause staining on natural teeth – and can stain bonding material even faster.
• Quit smoking as this can cause yellowish staining in the composite resin used in teeth bonding.
• Do not chew on hard material like pencils, pens, ice, or the like. Also, avoid biting your nails, as this can easily chip your teeth.
• Get regular dental checkups and make sure everything is fine with your oral health and teeth. If you feel something is wrong, or if there are any sharp edges, let the dentist deal with the issue.
• Choose a qualified and experienced dentist. It is extremely important to choose your dentist wisely for this kind of procedure, as it would require skill from the dentist. If necessary, you can ask the dentist for before and after photos of their previous patients.
• Read reviews about dental office and it’s dentists, and get some information on the procedure itself. Call the dentist, make an appointment and ask as many questions as you like. Make sure you are happy with the selection of your dentist.

There are many whitening toothpastes available on the market. It’s best to buy one that your dentist recommends or generally has great reviews. An individual can use the whitening toothpaste after the procedure as well, which would assist in maintaining the brightness and shine of teeth.

In order to find a suitable dentist in the area, the following points can be quite useful:

• Search Online: Finding a dentist is easier than ever in the modern age. You can search a dentist in your city and state and be given a whole list of possibilities. You can look over the reviews of the dental office as well to ensure your finding a quality dentist.

• Official Website: Visit the official website to get an idea about the services offered by the dentist. If you like see they offer the services you’re looking for, give them a call and schedule a consultation.
• Get Cost Estimation: Before agreeing to any services or treatment plan, get an estimated cost from the office and an estimation of benefits from your insurance company, so you know how much you’d have to personally pay for the procedure/s.
• Ask for Recommendations from Family and Friends: Family and friends hold the highest trust to us, and asking who they’ve gone to see in the past or for particular procedures (like dental bonding) can be an excellent way to find a suitable dentist.

Dental bonding can be an affordable solution for stained, broken, or chipped teeth, or to close small gaps between the teeth. If you’d like to see if you’d make a good candidate for dental bonding Beverly Hills dentist, Dr. Justin Raanan, can go over that and any other questions you have during an initial consultation. Give us a call today!