What is Dental Bonding?
Most dental procedures can be put in either one of two categories. The first category is a procedure that is driven by health implications, addressing oral infections, damaging cavities, the daily fundamentals of biting, chewing, eating, or speaking. The second category is that of aesthetics and perception. This is simply how your teeth and gums impact the appearance of your smile. This category has more significance than you realize because your smile is an invaluable personal asset. Your smile is foundational to your personality, impacting your self-confidence and self-esteem. Dental bonding is a simple and popular process that can restore the front of your teeth improving your smile. The following is a description of the process and then some benefits and a few minor risks.
The Dental Bonding Procedure
Dental bonding is often used to correct dental issues like a chipped or cracked tooth, a decayed tooth, a discolored tooth, or to close an unwanted gap between your two front teeth or to make a tooth longer. It is an excellent solution for exposed roots. When the gumline recedes exposing a tooth root it will become extremely sensitive. Dental bonding will protect this root that has less protective enamel than the crowns.
There is truly little preparation needed for dental bonding and your dentist will seldom need to use local anesthesia. Your dentist starts by lightly roughing up the surface of the teeth to be corrected. Once that is completed a conditioning liquid or gel is applied. Next you consult a shade guide with your dentist to make sure the composite resin used matches your natural teeth. Your dentist now applies this putty-like resin to the tooth or teeth and sculpts, shapes, and smooths the putty to satisfaction. Once this molding is finished an ultraviolet light or laser will be used to harden the bonding material. After it has been hardened the final bonding will be polished and you have a restored heathy smile in an hour.
The Benefits of Dental Bonding
In a cost versus value analysis, it is difficult to find a better value than dental bonding. This is because it is difficult to physically assign value to your smile. The chipped or cracked tooth has been restored. The unpleasant stained teeth are back to normal. The annoying gap between your two front teeth is gone. These cosmetic corrections will improve the perception of your smile and therefore improve your quality of life. Whether it is among friends or your professional circles, an improved smile will bring innumerable intangible improvements. If you do not really care for your smile, schedule an evaluation with your dentist about possible methods to improve it, like dental bonding.
Very Few Risks involved with Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is not as durable as your natural teeth. As hard as the material seems it can still stain from your coffee, tea, cola, and red wine. You should not smoke for at least 48 hours. You should refrain from chewing on hard items like ice, pencils or even your fingernails. The life expectancy of your dental bonding restoration will depend on your oral habits.
