How Dental Bonding Can Improve Your Smile

Dental bonding is one of the simplest and most popular dental procedures. Dental bonding has many applications when it comes to improving the way a smile looks. If you are unfamiliar with the procedure, here are three major ways it can enhance your smile’s appearance.

About dental bonding

Dental bonding involves adding a tooth-colored material known as a composite resin to the teeth. The dentist matches the color of this material to the patient’s tooth shade so it blends in seamlessly to cover flaws and improve how the smile looks. During a simple procedure, the dentist applies the composite resin to the desired area and shapes it before hardening it with a special light.

How dental bonding improves smiles

Dentists can use dental bonding to improve the smile’s appearance in three main ways. Here is a closer look at each.

Repairs dental damage

A dental professional can apply dental bonding to fill in cracks and repair chips. Dental bonding typically works best for minor chips and cracks, which do not require a dental crown. In fact, a dentist can remedy most minor tooth imperfections with dental bonding. Often, patients with metal fillings will see a dentist about using dental bonding to replace those obvious fillings with tooth-colored composite resin ones.

Improves tooth shape

Dental bonding can be applied to improve the size and shape of teeth. For patients with large noticeable spaces between their teeth, the dentist can use dental bonding to add volume to the teeth, filling those spaces. Many patients pursue dental bonding as a less expensive alternative to porcelain dental veneers, resulting in a smile that is straighter-looking and uniform in tooth shape and color.

Whitens teeth

Professional teeth whitening, even from a dentist, cannot always remove every stain. Some discolorations, such as those caused by aging and medications, will not respond to tooth-whitening solutions. Instead, the dentist can use dental bonding to cover the discoloration. It is important to note that dental bonding material does not respond to tooth whitening solutions. Therefore, those planning to undergo teeth whitening should first undergo the whitening procedure to match the composite resin to the new lighter tooth shade.

Getting the most out of dental bonding

Dental bonding is an effective procedure for improving the smile’s appearance, but it is not permanent. Dental bonding can last anywhere from three to 10 years before it needs replacing. However, proper dental care can help ensure a patient gets the most out of their dental bonding work. This includes brushing and flossing daily and keeping regular dental appointments once every six months. Those who have teeth with dental bonding are also advised to avoid biting on hard food and objects and limit consumption of staining food and drinks like coffee, tea, and red wine.