Composite Bonding

Restore and Perfect Your Smile With Composite Bonding

Whether you have a cavity, a stubborn stain, a chipped tooth, or a tooth gap you aren't particularly fond of, dental bonding might be the right treatment for you. Dental bonding is a versatile treatment option that offers patients both cosmetic and restorative benefits.

What Is Dental Bonding?

Also called teeth bonding or composite bonding, dental bonding is a restorative and cosmetic dental treatment. Teeth bonding treatment uses a special composite resin (a type of plastic) that can be applied to the teeth, shaped, molded, and contoured to address a wide variety of concerns. Dental bonding material is dyed to match a patient's tooth color, creating a natural, aesthetically appealing look.

Composite Bonding Treatment Applications and Benefits

Dental bonding offers a variety of restorative and cosmetic treatment applications, benefits, and uses.

Restorative Applications

• Tooth-colored dental fillings
• Repairing and restoring chipped or cracked teeth
• Restoring and protecting worn teeth
• Tooth sensitivity treatment
• Covering exposed tooth roots due to gum recession

Cosmetic Applications

• Filling in tooth gaps or uneven spaces between teeth
• Creating the appearance of a straighter smile when minor misalignment is present
• Covering stains or permanent discoloration

• Correcting the appearance of an irregularly sized or shaped tooth
• Improving smile symmetry and balance
• The creation of composite dental veneers

The dental bonding treatment process is simple, quick, painless, and non-invasive, making it an excellent alternative to several more complex cosmetic treatment options.

What to Expect: The Composite Bonding Procedure

While dental bonding offers several applications, the procedures are all fairly similar. Typically, an anesthetic is not needed. However, if a patient has particularly sensitive teeth, we might begin by applying a local anesthetic to ensure our patient remains comfortable throughout the treatment process.

The first step of the dental bonding treatment process is to clean and prepare the surface of the patient's teeth that will be receiving dental bonding. This involves normal cleaning (scaling and polishing) followed by the application of a chemical abrasive that creates a rough surface on the tooth enamel. This helps to ensure an adequate bond is achieved between the patient's tooth enamel and the composite resin material.

The dentist then selects a shade of composite resin to blend in naturally with the surrounding teeth and applies it to the tooth. The dentist can then mold, shape, and texture the resin to create the desired look. Once the resin has been properly shaped, we use a special light to cure and set the resin. This part of the process takes a few minutes. Once the dental bonding is cured, the bonding can be sanded or otherwise adjusted to ensure a comfortable fit and the right aesthetic. After any final adjustments are finished, the treatment is complete.

Does Composite Bonding Damage Teeth?

For cosmetic treatment purposes, composite bonding is not considered permanent because it does not damage the teeth. While a minor chemical abrasive is applied to roughen up the tooth enamel surface, the texturing is insignificant and does not compromise the natural tooth's health.

When dental bonding is applied for restorative purposes, it is usually considered a permanent treatment because its presence is necessary for protecting the tooth from infection, decay, and additional damage.

How Long Does Dental Bonding Last? How to Care for Composite Bonding Teeth

On average, dental bonding can last anywhere from there to ten years. The lifespan of dental bonding can vary greatly, depending on which tooth has received treatment, its location in the mouth, and its purpose. Additionally, the way you care for your teeth and dental bonding can have a big impact on how long your treatment lasts.

To care for your dental bonding and extend its lifespan, consider the following care advice and tips:

• Do not chew on hard objects or ice.
• Wear an athletic mouthguard during athletic activities.
• Wear a nightguard if you have sleep bruxism (clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth during sleep).
• Avoid highly pigmented foods and drinks (chocolate, berries, dark-colored sodas, wine, tea, and coffee).
• Abstain from tobacco use of any kind.

• Brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush.  

If your dental bonding becomes damaged or discolored, it can be repaired. In fact, touching up and repairing dental bonding is a quick and simple process.

Professional Dental Composite Bonding in Greendale, IN

At Oyler Family Dentistry, we provide patients with comprehensive restorative and cosmetic dental care designed to address aesthetic concerns and oral health problems. Among these treatments are a variety of services that use dental bonding, and we often recommend composite bonding as an alternative to more complex, costly, or invasive procedures. Despite its simplicity, dental bonding delivers powerful treatment results that can transform the health and look of your smile.

To learn more about dental bonding or to request a cosmetic or restorative consultation appointment, we welcome you to contact our Greendale dental office today.