What Is Dental Bonding?
Utilizing composite resin, the same substance utilized in composite fillings, dental bonding allows for the sculpting of a tooth. Through a procedure called Bonded Restoration, composite resin is applied to repair teeth that have experienced chipping, cracking, or breakage. This restorative treatment effectively reestablishes the tooth to a pristine state, and with regular care, it can endure for a significant duration. Furthermore, dental bonding serves as a means to enhance the visual appeal of a smile by reshaping teeth, correcting discoloration, and closing gaps, eliminating the requirement for veneers or orthodontics.
The Dental Bonding Process
Whether your purpose for dental bonding is to restore a tooth or solely for aesthetic improvements, the procedure itself follows a consistent approach. Here’s an overview of what you can expect during your dental bonding appointment:
Getting The Tooth Ready
Firstly, a dental matrix, which is a thin plastic film, is positioned between your teeth as a protective measure. This dental matrix prevents any unintended contact between the neighboring teeth and the preparation gel or composite resin. Following this, your dentist will meticulously clean and dry your tooth before applying a mildly acidic gel for a few seconds. This gel helps create a rough surface, which enhances the bonding process by providing an optimal surface for adhesion.
Applying The Composite Resin
After the removal of the acidic gel and ensuring the tooth is completely dry, the application of composite resin commences. Your dentist will select a resin shade that closely resembles the natural color of your teeth, ensuring a harmonious and lifelike appearance. The composite resin is applied layer by layer, and each layer is meticulously cured using a specialized blue light. This curing process ensures that the bonded restoration attains maximum strength and durability.
Best For Small Repairs
After verifying your bite, the dental bonding procedure is concluded. As a finishing touch, the dentist will give your tooth a swift polish, resulting in a flawless and natural appearance. You may even find it difficult to discern the repaired tooth. A record will be made in your dental chart, and during your future examinations, the dentist will provide special attention to the bonded tooth, ensuring to check for any indications of wear and tear.
Dental Bonding Or Other Options?
There is a plethora of options available to restore your teeth or achieve the smile you’ve always desired. The selection of the most suitable options for you will be based on your specific requirements. When you come in for your appointment, we will be more than happy to discuss all the options at length, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each, so that you can ultimately make an educated decision. With that in mind, here are a few benefits of dental bonding:
Quick And Painless
In general, fillings or dental veneers involve a certain degree of drilling to prepare the tooth for treatment. However, dental bonding offers a different approach. With bonding, it is rare to require any significant removal of your natural tooth, if at all, ensuring that the procedure is nearly painless.
Low Upfront Costs
It’s worth noting that treatments such as dental veneers and orthodontics are generally more expensive due to their extensive nature. This is because these treatments necessitate personalized treatment plans involving intricate procedures to bring about significant and transformative results. On the other hand, if you only require minor modifications to a few teeth, dental bonding presents a simple and cost-effective treatment alternative.
Best For Small Repairs
It is important to emphasize that if you have extensive changes in mind for your smile, it is recommended to consider a more complex treatment plan that may involve dental veneers, crowns, or orthodontics. However, for minor alterations, dental bonding stands out as the simplest and most convenient solution available.
Cost of a dental bonding in Long Valley
Dental bonding is a versatile procedure used for a wide variety of reasons, making it difficult to provide an estimated cost without understanding your specific needs and examining your teeth. However, as a general guideline, the cost of dental bonding typically ranges from $300 to $600 or more per tooth without insurance coverage. The good news is that most insurance companies cover dental bonding, especially when it is required to restore a broken or damaged tooth. With insurance, you can expect to pay around $60 to $120 out of pocket.
When determining the cost of your dental bonding treatment, we consider several important factors, including:
- The number of teeth that require bonding.
- Whether new x-rays are needed.
- The amount of composite resin necessary for the treatment.
- The location of the affected teeth within your mouth.
- Your current overall oral health.
It’s important to note that no dentist can provide an accurate quote over the phone. Following an examination, we would be delighted to provide you with an accurate quote in person, allowing you to fully understand the final costs and make an informed decision.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
The lifespan of dental bonding is influenced by multiple factors, including the specific location of the bonded tooth, your dietary choices, and your oral hygiene routine. On average, dental bonding can last between 4 to 10 years, or even longer with proper care. During your routine dental check-ups, your dentist will assess the condition of the bonding and address any signs of wear and tear by applying additional composite resin to maintain its strength and durability.
Although dental bonding is not a permanent solution, it is highly resilient and can last for a significant duration. By practicing routine dental care, maintaining healthy eating habits, and attending regular dental examinations, dental bonding can maintain its integrity for more than ten years. In the event of wear and tear, additional composite resin can be applied to strengthen your dental bonding.
Dental veneers and dental bonding are two procedures that serve different purposes. Dental veneers are an excellent choice for long-term results and are particularly suitable for patients seeking significant or dramatic smile enhancements. On the other hand, dental bonding is a more cost-efficient option for minor changes, as it requires less alteration of the natural tooth and is a less invasive treatment method.
Dental bonding is a relatively low-risk procedure that preserves the integrity of your natural tooth. The bonding material is applied over the tooth surface, leaving your natural tooth almost entirely intact or completely intact. While the bonding may occasionally chip or break over time, it can be easily repaired. One common concern expressed by patients is that dental bonding does not respond to teeth whitening treatments. If desired, you may opt to undergo teeth whitening prior to getting dental bonding or choose to have the bonding replaced to match your natural teeth after a whitening procedure. If you have concerns about the durability of dental bonding, it might be worthwhile to explore alternatives such as dental veneers or crowns, which offer greater strength and longevity.
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