Esthetic Bonding
Bonding corrects esthetic problems in the front teeth by using tooth colored materials to match the surrounding teeth. It is a simple and predictable way to treat minor front teeth imperfections. Gaps, discolorations, stains, and chipped or misshaped teeth can easily be fixed with esthetic bonding.
Before and After
Spaces from misshaped teeth corrected with esthetic bonding in one visit without any local anesthesia.
What to Expect with Esthetic Bonding
The process usually requires one office visit and no anesthesia since there’s little to no tooth reduction needed for esthetic bonding. Since we’re fixing minor imperfections, esthetic bonding is simple. First we take a shade or color for our tooth colored filling material to blend in seamlessly with the tooth or teeth that we’re working on. Then we clean and isolate the teeth. We apply a bonding agent and cure it with a light. We start layering our filling material in small increments at a time, sculpting it along the way. The material gets light cured after each layer. Once the minor imperfection is fixed, we smooth and polish the filling, making it feel and look natural.
Bonding will not change the color of your teeth. If you are looking for whiter teeth, then you should bleach before fixing the teeth. The tooth colored filling material will not change color once in the mouth. Whitening afterwards may make the fillings stand out.
Bonding will not last forever. It should last several years. Expect to have it replaced or fixed a few times. It’s a durable material but it can fracture. Veneers and crowns will last longer. Bondings can gather stain easier than other materials.
Routine cleanings, exams and radiographs keep esthetic bondings looking good by removing stain and calculus and checking for decay around them.