Dental bonding is a cosmetic procedure offered by our Long Island dentist, in which we place tooth-colored filling material over your tooth to erase visible aesthetic concerns.
What Can Dental Bonding Accomplish?
Bonding is performed to improve the appearance of specific teeth. The material is resin-based and can be molded to the desired shape as it covers small, crooked, or spaced teeth, offering a more appropriate shape to those areas.
The dental bonding material comes in a variety of different colors. So, if you only need bonding to enhance one tooth, we can match it to the shade of your other teeth in that area. Or, if we’re bonding several front teeth, we can make your smile uniformly brighter with the shade of your choice.
Candidates For Dental Bonding
To qualify for this cosmetic treatment, the tooth or teeth in question have certain requirements, such as:
You Have Stubborn Stains That Bleaching Won’t Eliminate
If you have discolored teeth, then our Long Island dentist’s first recommendation may be a professional whitening treatment. However, some stains are very deep and bleaching can’t penetrate the tooth enough to remove them. In that case, dental bonding is a good alternative. We can add a bright-colored material to the front of your teeth and permanently bond it over the areas of concern.
Your Tooth is Free of Decay
Bonding is only for healthy teeth. If you have a cavity in one of your teeth, then bonding isn’t an option. Instead, we’ll need to remove the decay and place a filling or crown instead.
No Abscesses
A dental abscess occurs when your tooth is infected. If this is the case, then dental bonding won’t suffice. But rather, you’ll need root canal therapy completed or tooth extraction. After root canal treatment, a permanent restoration such as a dental crown is often recommended because it offers protection to the weaker-than-normal tooth. Bonding alone can’t repair abscesses or protect fragile teeth.
No Large Chips or Breaks
Small chips can easily be covered up with bonding, however, the larger the chip or fracture, the weaker the tooth is. Bonding may not suffice. Oftentimes you’ll need to have a dental crown placed over the tooth for optimal protection.
Fracture Lines Are Superficial
Some teeth get stress fractures on them which look like thin, shallow cracks on the enamel surface. If you have surface lines and are bothered by their appearance, our Suffolk County cosmetic dentist can cover the cracks up with bonding material ー as long as they aren’t too deep. Deeper cracks mean that the tooth is weak and could break in the future, so you may be better off covering the tooth with a crown for extra protection.
The Tooth Doesn’t Have Any Previous Restorations
If your tooth has already been worked on in the past and has a filling or a crown, then we can’t revert back and place smaller areas of bonding on that particular tooth. However, older restorations can be updated with newer and more attractive versions.
The Gaps Between Your Teeth Aren’t Too Wide
Dental bonding can close small to moderate-sized gaps between your teeth. Closing in large gaps will make your teeth look too wide, and the material will be too weak to hold up long term in such a wide space.
You Don’t Grind, Clench, or Have A Strong Bite
Dental bonding is strictly cosmetic in nature. It won’t hold up well in high-stress areas. If you have a strong bite, clench your teeth, or grind your teeth while you sleep, then bonding isn’t the best solution. You’ll end up breaking the bonding off and continually have to get it replaced.
What Is Involved In The Dental Bonding Procedure?
The process to bond your teeth is relatively easy and doesn’t take too much time. One tooth can be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes. In most cases, local anesthesia isn’t even needed to accomplish dental bonding.
The first step is to roughen the surface of your teeth, which will help make the material adhere better.
Next, we’ll place a special etchant on the tooth which will microscopically roughen the tooth and clean the area. The material opens the tubules (pores) of the tooth to allow the resin to adhere better.
After that, our Long Island cosmetic dentist may place a primer on the tooth, followed by a bonding agent which allows the cosmetic material to adhere to your tooth more long-term.
Finally, we’ll apply the resin in the pre-selected shade of choice and mold it to the desired shape. Since the material is in a putty-like consistency at this point, manipulating it is quite simple. Once our dentist is satisfied with its appearance, we’ll shine a special curing light over the area to harden the material permanently onto your enamel.
For the final step, we’ll smooth and polish your new tooth. As soon as you look in the mirror, you’ll see a completely new smile.
How Long Does Dental Bonding Last?
Dental bonding typically lasts an average of 5 years. For some patients, it’s longer, and for others, it’s a shorter amount of time.
Being careful with your teeth will help prolong the life of your bonding. You should avoid biting your nails or using your teeth as a tool like to open packages or cut fishing lines. Also, refrain from biting into hard foods like carrots or nuts because harder textures or extensive force can break your bonding off.
Staining can also occur, so brush often and avoid dark drinks like coffee or red wine. Certain foods like blueberries and blackberries that are highly pigmented can stain your bonding, as can smoking.
Visiting our Long Island dentist every six months for a professional cleaning to help to keep your bonding looking its best.
Dental Bonding on Long Island
If you’re interested in improving the appearance of your smile, then call Sachem Dental Group of Long Island. We’ll see you for a consultation to determine if dental bonding ー or another cosmetic procedure ー is right for you. Give us a call today.