A brilliant smile can improve how your look. However, if your teeth are chipped, cracked, stained, decayed, or simply have an odd shape, you may not find it so easy to flash a winning smile. Fortunately, such dental flaws can be repaired with the help of dental procedures. Dental bonding is among the most popular dental procedures today. It is done by attaching a tooth-colored resin plastic material to your teeth in order to hide unsightly stains or cracks, or to fill in gaps and spaces. The resin plastic material is hardened by a high-intensity light.
How is Dental Bonding Done?
The first thing your dentist will do is prepare your teeth for the actual dental bonding procedure. The preparation process involves filling the cavities, choosing the right shade of resin, and filing the teeth to make them rough (this makes the application of the resin much easier). Resin is then applied to the teeth and molded accordingly. Even when left to dry for a long time, the resin remains soft.
That is why it is necessary to aim an ultraviolet light at the resin to harden it within seconds. For the finishing touch, the repaired teeth are polished. A typical dental bonding procedure takes about 45 minutes per tooth. The entire procedure can usually be done in one appointment.
Dental Bonding vs. Other Dental Procedures
Dental bonding is only one of several dental procedures that can be used to repair your teeth and give you a bright smile. What makes dental bonding preferable over other solutions is that dental bonding is a lot cheaper. The cost is very reasonable considering its almost perfect success rate. Other dental procedures are also much more complicated and time-consuming.
For example, if you choose to have crowns and composite veneers, more enamel will have to be scraped off your teeth. Dental bonding, on the other hand, requires only a small amount of enamel to be removed, just enough to give the surface of the tooth a rough texture. Often time no anesthesia is needed for such a minor procedure.
One of the characteristics of dental bonding is that it is not as resistant to stains as veneers or crowns. This might be a disadvantage, but it is actually much better because the repaired teeth will look more natural over time. As the other teeth stain naturally, the bonded teeth won't stand out due to their artificial whiteness.
It is good to know there are procedures like dental bonding to help improve your smile. Still, the best way to care for your teeth is to practice proper oral hygiene, eat foods rich in calcium, and visit your dentist regularly.
