Dental bonding consists of using tooth coloured composite resins to fix flaws in your teeth. Dental bonding in York can repair a chip, cover a discoloured area, fill a crack, fill a small cavity and even to alter the shape of a tooth. Bonding is generally completed without requiring any anesthesia and is a quick and simple method of achieving small effects that can have large cumulative impacts.
Before applying dental bonding near you, your dentist in York will roughen the surface of the tooth area being bonded using an etching substance. Etching the tooth will help the composites to adhere more securely to the tooth. Your dentist will tint the composite resins to match your natural tooth material as closely as possible before shaping the putty-like compound to mask the flaw or fill the gap at issue. Once the putty is in place and smoothened, it will be exposed to ultraviolet light to cure and harden before it’s polished to match your other teeth. A typical repair completed via dental bonding near you takes half an hour to an hour.
Why should you consider bonding?
A dentist near you may recommend that you undergo dental bonding if you have any of the following characteristics:
- Cracks or chips on your teeth
- Discoloured teeth
- Teeth shorter than others that you’d like lengthened for consistency
- Teeth misshapen in a way that adding compound strategically would correct the shape
- You have small gaps between your teeth that you’d prefer were closed
- Your gums have receded and roots exposed that should be covered to minimize sensitivity
The advantages and disadvantages of dental bonding
As is the case with any dental procedure, dental bonding in York has advantages and disadvantages and situations in which it is an ideal solution or strictly verboten. Whether bonding is appropriate for you in your particular circumstances is something you should discuss with a dentist in York who knows the condition of your teeth and your goals. Generally speaking, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of dental bonding:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| The least expensive cosmetic dentistry option | The bonding compound is not as strong or durable as more expensive options like veneers and crowns |
| The simplest cosmetic dentistry option | Bonding will require touch-ups or replacement after approximately 10 years |
| Only one appointment is required | Bonding compounds are vulnerable to chipping if you chew ice, bite on pencils, chew your fingernails, clench your jaw or grind your teeth |
| The bonding compound can be colour matched to surrounding teeth and polished to blend naturally | Bonding compounds are not highly stain resistant and can be stained by smoking and drinking coffee |
| Bonding is usually completed without using anesthesia, but an anesthesia is sometimes applied when bonding is being used to fill a cavity |
There are no special requirements for caring for bonded surfaces though anything you can do to preserve the health of the underlying tooth will also extend the life of the tooth’s bonded areas. Aside from diligent daily dental hygiene habits, someone with bonded areas on highly visible teeth should avoid drinking coffee, tea and red wine and smoking cigarettes for several days after the bonding is applied.
The relative simplicity, convenience and economical cost of dental bonding make it an ideal solution for achieving quick fixes to relatively small and minor flaws in areas where strength and durability are not paramount considerations. Where a repair requires a stronger or more durable solution, bonding may not be appropriate. In that case, making the more significant investment — in time and money — in veneers or crowns may be more appropriate and rewarding.