Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored, durable plastic material is applied and hardened with a special light. This will then bond the material to the tooth to restore and improve person’s smile.
When Is Dental Bonding Considered?
Dental bonding is an option that may be recommended to:
- Repair decayed teeth (used to fill cavities)
- Mend chipped or cracked teeth
- To correct the appearance of discolored teeth
- To close gaps between teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To reshape teeth
- As a cosmetic substitute to amalgam fillings
- To protect the part of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums shrink
Are There Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Bonding?
- Advantages: Dental bonding is one of the simplest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. Unlike other tooth coverings like veneers and crowns, which are customized and manufactured in a lab, bonding can normally be done in one office visit unless several teeth need to be worked on. Another advantage is that the least amount of tooth enamel is taken. Unless dental bonding is being performed to fill a cavity, anesthesia is usually not necessary.
- Disadvantages: Although the material used in dental bonding is somewhat stain resistant, it tends to stain easier than crowns. Another disadvantage is that the bonding materials don’t normally last as long nor are as strong as other restorative procedures, such as crowns, veneers, or fillings. Additionally, bonding materials can chip and break off the remaining part of the tooth.
