Bonding

If you have a chipped, cracked, or discolored tooth, a cosmetic dental procedure like tooth bonding can give you the confidence to flash those pearly whites.

Tooth bonding is a procedure where your dentist applies a tooth-colored composite resin to one or more of your teeth to repair damage. It’s a cost-effective solution because it’s considerably less expensive than other cosmetic dental procedures, such as crowns and veneers.

Tooth bonding can fix a defect or imperfection within a tooth. Some people use bonding to repair a decayed, cracked, or discolored tooth. This procedure can also close small gaps in between teeth.

Tooth bonding can also increase the size of a tooth. For example, maybe you have a tooth that’s shorter than the rest, and you want them all to be the same length.

Bonding is a fast procedure and doesn’t require any down time. If you don’t need anesthesia, you can continue with your normal daily routine after the procedure.

Typically, tooth bonding takes between 30 to 60 minutes. Some appointments may run longer depending on the extent of the procedure.

Tooth bonding is simpler than other cosmetic dental procedures. So simple that this procedure doesn’t typically require anesthesia — unless you’re filling a cavity — and it doesn’t require multiple visits to the dentist.

To start the process, your dentist uses a shade guide to choose a composite resin color that closely matches the color of your natural teeth. Your dentist roughens the surface of the tooth, and then applies a liquid that allows the bonding agent to stick to the tooth.

Your dentist applies the composite resin over the liquid, molds or shapes the tooth, and then hardens the material with an ultraviolet light.

If necessary, your dentist can further shape the tooth after the resin hardens.