Dental Bonding

The term dental bonding describes how white or tooth-color restorations (composites) get adhesion (get bonded) to the teeth. These tooth-color restorations, bonded to the teeth, can be an alternative to teeth veneers. They can be used as a restorative procedure for teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misarranged. People also call bondings to the white fillings placed on the teeth close to the gum line, where gums sometimes recede.

How does dental bonding work?

The tooth is prepared for dental bonding by lightly etching the surface and applying a bonding liquid. Once the liquid sets, a tooth-color filling is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. After we are done placing and shaping the filling, we use a curing light (the blue light) to “harden the material”. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.

Considerations for Dental Bonding

The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. However, since the plastic resin (tooth-color filling) used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it is more likely to stain, chip or break than natural teeth. Bonding sometimes lasts three to five years before need of repair.