Dental Bonding

A person’s smile is usually the first thing others see and the most memorable feature they can have. Precision Dental’s experienced cosmetic dentists in Astoria and Bayside, Queens, NY, offer highly personalized teeth bonding treatments to restore, reshape, and rejuvenate chipped, cracked, broken, and misshapen teeth, transforming your smile into your most valuable asset.

What Is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a quick, non-invasive and inexpensive way to improve the overall appearance of your teeth using tooth-colored composite resin that is applied directly to your tooth surfaces. Treatment is very versatile as you have the option of having only one or two teeth bonded or multiple teeth bonded. Dental bonding is a fantastic treatment if you are looking to make a minor change to your smile but don’t want to undergo substantial treatment. It’s a procedure that will subtly refresh your appearance, giving you a mini smile makeover.

How Is Bonding Used?

Dental bonding can be useful in numerous situations, such as:

• Mending small chips or cracks in a tooth
• Hiding tooth stains that resulted from old root canal treatment, tetracycline use, or dental fluorosis
• Lengthening teeth that are worn or too short
• Changing the overall shape of the tooth to make it more cosmetically appealing
• Protecting the exposed tooth root, preventing tooth decay, or mending areas that may have already become decayed
• Closing or minimizing gaps between teeth that can look unsightly and trap food
• Mending small to medium-sized cavities in teeth

Teeth bonding may be less suitable if you have any issues affecting your bite, and that may require more extensive treatment like orthodontics or other restorative dental treatments.

What Is the Teeth Bonding Procedure?

Initially, you will need to visit a cosmetic dentist to see if dental bonding is the right solution for your teeth. Your cosmetic dentist can assess the condition of the teeth you’d like to be bonded with and can quickly tell you if they are suitable. If you go ahead with this treatment, preparation is minimal and is done by lightly etching the tooth to create a slightly rougher surface, giving a good mechanical bond. Once the surface is prepared and sealed, your dentist begins to apply the bonding material in tiny increments. They will regularly harden the material using a light to cure it. When all the material is in place, they carefully shape and polish it. Once the polished, composite resin has a luster that is very similar to a natural tooth. The entire procedure should take about 30 to 60 minutes for each tooth.

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a quick and inexpensive procedure that produces great yet subtle results. It is a fantastic solution to consider if you simply want to enhance the appearance of your teeth and do not want to radically change your smile. The only disadvantage is that though the bonding material should last for several years, it can become stained over time and need replacing to keep your smile bright and beautiful.

How Can I Care For Bonded Teeth?

The composite resin material is quite strong, but you do need to look after it carefully. Caring for it correctly will help prolong its natural life. Some simple aftercare measures to help your bonded teeth last longer include:

• Avoid using your teeth as tools or try to bite down on hard foods not to chip or crack bonded areas
• Avoid highly colored foods or rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain water after eating them to slow the rate of staining of the composite resin
• Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss once a day and see your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings

It can also be worth consuming highly colored beverages through a straw to minimize contact with your teeth and avoid staining the bonding material.

If you want to correct damaged and unsightly teeth and prevent future dental health problems, come to one of our Queens clinics to learn more about cosmetic teeth bonding options.