August 22, 2019
What is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is one of the most affordable cosmetic dentistry services, which is partly why it’s so popular.
Dental bonding (also called “tooth bonding”) is the practice of using soft composite resin to fix minor chips or cracks on teeth. The composite resin is pliable, allowing the doctor to mold it into any shape and polish it to any shade. Once the doctor is happy with the resin, they can use a light to “set” the bonding, hardening it.
What do you use dental bonding for?
In cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Bobbi and Dr. Minka mostly use dental bonding to repair chipped teeth and spacing problems. If someone has a gap between their teeth, dental bonding is a great way to close the space without using orthodontic measures.
We also use composite resin to fill cavities. This gives them a more natural look than silver fillings.
Is dental bonding painful?
Dental bonding is completely painless. You won’t need any anesthesia.
Is dental bonding expensive?
Dental bonding is one of the most affordable cosmetic dentistry services, which is partly why it’s so popular. Dentists who are trying to cut corners use dental bonding for things they shouldn’t, like veneers. Dental bonding is cheap but, like most things in life, you get what you pay for. The composite resin that dentists use in dental bonding isn’t particularly strong. It cracks and breaks fairly easily — especially if you have an inexperienced doctor.
Why can’t dental bonding give me veneers?
Veneers are expensive for a reason — they look amazing and they’re very strong. Most patients forget they have porcelain veneers over their teeth within a few weeks. They’re low maintenance and frequently last over a decade. Veneers can chip or fall off, but with modern advances, that’s fairly rare.
Dental bonding, on the other hand, isn’t half as strong and doesn’t look half as good. For small cracks or gaps between teeth, dental bonding is perfect. That’s what dentists created it for. It was never meant to be a way to cover the tooth entirely. Dental bonding is for fixing small imperfections.
Composite resin can’t get as thin as porcelain can. This means that, if you get dental bonding veneers, your dentist will have to shave off a large amount of enamel, reducing your natural tooth size by about half. When the dental bonding cracks or falls off in a few years, you’ll be left with stubs for teeth. Take our advice and stay far, far away from dental bonding veneers.
