What is tooth bonding
In dentistry, the word bonding denotes a permanent attachment or adherence of dental materials to a tooth. The bonding of material is achieved by utilizing a high intensity curing light and dental adhesives general used for repairing imperfect teeth. This method is typical of a number of different dental procedures, including fillings, crowns, bridge work, inlays or onlays and porcelain veneers.
Types of Bonding
Procedures that require bonding involve direct composite bonding and adhesive bonding in the reparation of a damaged part of the tooth.
When is Composite Tooth Bonding used
Cosmetic dentists utilize tooth-colored composite material that matches the look of the patient’s enamel. This material is generally used to repair or fill a cavity, close gaps in the teeth (in particular in the smile line area), restore cracks, smooth out chips and rebuild missing tooth structures. Cosmetic and general dentists both use composite bonding in order to achieve a functional and esthetic ideal for their patients.
Time for completion of Direct Composite Bonding
Direct composite restorations (or bonding) are generally completed in one appointment. For example, a filling is completed in one dental visit, as is repairing chipped or cracked teeth. These procedures do not require patients to have any type of temporary material placed in their teeth nor do they need the additional assistance of a dental laboratory. Should the procedure be more involved, your dentist may recommend a series of visits in order to ensure that the bonding is done with precision and care.
For more complex treatments, such as full mouth restorations, several visits may be required. Cosmetic dentists enjoy using direct composite veneer bonding in smile designs or makeovers, as it allows them to sculpt and reshape the patient’s teeth with ease. Composite veneers are a cost effective way to treat patients with discoloration, stains, spaces (between teeth), twisted, crooked, misshapen, chipped and cracked teeth. Depending on the patient’s dental needs, composite veneers can be used in place of braces.
Another factor that makes direct composite restorations appealing to both cosmetic dentists and patients is the rapid nature of the procedure. The preparation time for composite veneers is minimal as composite veneers do not require impressions, laboratory turn-around time or temporary dental restorations (temporary fillings or crowns). Cosmetic dentists who employ composite veneers utilize their own artistry, precision and skill to shape and sculpt the tooth into the ideal shape for the patient. The dentist will place the composite material in stages on the tooth’s surface and sculpt it into the ideal shape. Then a high intensity curing light hardens the composite material. This process is repeated until the final desired shape of the veneer has been created. Often, cosmetic dentists use a finish to cement the final veneer and prevent sensitivity.
Cosmetic dentists rely on tools in order to create the ideal tooth shape. The tools employed include materials such as putty stents created from an impression take of the patient’s tooth in addition to a “model” that guides them through the sculpting process. These measures are instrumental both in ensuring the patient is aware of the desired look and in providing the cosmetic dentist with a reference point from which to work. The desired result of the cosmetic dentist’s skill and available technology is that the bonding material is matched to the patient’s enamel, resulting in a look that is seamlessly pleasing and natural.
