Bonding

Less-than-perfect teeth, like discolored, misaligned, or stained teeth, will affect how you smile, socialize, and enjoy your life. They make you constantly worried about how people feel about you. Fortunately, dentists in Los Angeles recommend various cosmetic treatments to improve your teeth’s appearance and boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Dental bonding is one of the highly recommended treatments in cosmetic dentistry for imperfect teeth. It is used in various applications, including covering stained or discolored teeth, correcting misaligned teeth, and hiding a crack or breakage on the front teeth. Bonding is simple, cost-effective, and an easy solution for people who want to improve their teeth’s appearance on a budget. It is also less invasive, making it ideal for all people.

Our professional cosmetic dentists at Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry are experts in dental bonding. We specialize in treatments that improve your confidence, oral health, and general well-being. Thus, we can help you understand dental bonding and its benefits, disadvantages, and risk effects for better decision-making.

An Overview of Dental Bonding

Bonding is a cosmetic treatment that uses composite resin to cover a damaged tooth, improving its appearance and enhancing your smile. It is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic dental procedures today. Dentists recommend it for chipped, discolored, or stained teeth. The procedure can also close gaps between overly spaced teeth to correct your bite and improve your teeth’s appearance.

This procedure offers several benefits, including reversibility, cost-effectiveness, and the ability of a dentist to quickly improve your smile. Dental bonding takes a short time to restore your smile. You can remove the bonding material anytime after the installation without damaging your teeth.

Dental bonding involves applying a composite resin material to the damaged tooth. The material looks and feels exactly like your natural tooth. Thus, it does not change your teeth’s appearance but enhances it. The dentist’s goal during this treatment is to improve your teeth' shape, size, and color.

Dentists recommend dental bonding for several applications, including the following:

• To conceal cracks or chips in your teeth. This could also prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease

• To camouflage discoloration on one or several of your teeth

• To cover spaces and gaps between the teeth

• To improve the shape or size of your teeth

The material used in dental bonding is the same one dentists use in restorative dentistry to fill cavities and protect roots that are about to fall because of gum recession.

Very many people with varying dental needs can benefit from dental bonding. For example, if you chip one or more of your teeth for biting a hard food item or object, you can repair it through bonding. People whose teeth crack in an accident can benefit from bonding, too. You can have one or more of your teeth repaired without incurring more costs because dental bonding is inexpensive.

Some people choose dental bonding to improve the appearance of their natural teeth. For example, you can improve the shape or length of your teeth if you want them to appear better than they are. Some dentists use bonding to repair minor cavities because resin has a more natural appearance than amalgam fillings.

The Benefits of Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures. It offers several benefits that you should consider for easier decision-making. Some of its benefits include the following:

It Is a Straightforward, Noninvasive Procedure

Dental procedures, especially the long, invasive ones, are pretty scary. Many people forego essential procedures for fear of pain and discomfort and to avoid spending hours under anesthesia in a dentist’s office. Dental bonding differs significantly from most cosmetic dental procedures because it involves a straightforward, non-invasive procedure.

Cosmetic dentists do not need to prepare your teeth much for dental bonding. After ensuring your teeth are clean, your dentist will apply the resin material to cover the problematic tooth. They will then allow the material to dry or hasten the curing process using a special light. Then, you can enjoy better-looking teeth.

You do not need anesthesia to undergo dental bonding because your teeth need minimal preparation for the procedure. Typically, it is a pain-free procedure. Hence, it is suitable for all people. Additionally, you only need a single visit to the dentist’s office for a complete treatment, regardless of the number of teeth that require treatment.

You Retain Your Natural Tooth

Most dental procedures require prior preparation of your natural tooth, whereby the dentist removes part of your tooth's enamel to prepare a way for restoration. This is not required when the dentist is bonding your tooth. The procedure preserves much of your natural tooth, its strength, structure, and integrity. The only requirement is to improve the tooth’s appearance and not change its shape or size.

You Do Not Require Anesthesia

Dentists use anesthesia during dental procedures to minimize pain and discomfort. This is necessary mainly during invasive procedures that require prior tooth preparation. However, some people are allergic to anesthesia, which disqualifies them from some of these procedures. Other people do not like anesthesia because of how it makes them feel during and after treatment. If you prefer non invasive dental procedures, you can try dental bonding.

The Results are Natural

The resin used in dental bonding has the same color as natural teeth. This is what gives you a natural look and feel after treatment. Additionally, the dentist must obtain the actual shade of your natural teeth to ensure that the treated teeth have the same color as the remaining teeth. Then, no one will know that some of your teeth have been treated. The goal is to ensure no one will differentiate between your treated and untreated teeth.

If you have whitened some of your teeth and want to match the bonded ones with the whitened ones, you can choose a lighter resin shade to enjoy an even color match.

Dental Bonding Does Not Involve Use of Harmful Chemicals

Some dental procedures, like teeth whitening and silver fillings, use harsh chemicals that could harm your teeth and gums. A skilled dentist must do these procedures carefully to protect you from harm. Dental bonding is a very safe procedure. It does not involve using harmful chemicals that could affect your teeth, gums, and other parts of your mouth. The material used in the bonding process is the same one dentists use for dental fillings. It is safe for your teeth and gums. The dentist does not need extra precautions to protect you from harm when performing this procedure.

Your Risk of Infections is Low

Oral infections are common because of the existing oral bacteria that combine with dirt and food particles in the mouth. They mainly occur in hard-to-reach areas during routine brushing and flossing of teeth, including the spaces between teeth, cavities, and cracks. Dental bonding covers some of these areas, reducing your risk of oral infections. The resin bonds with your teeth tightly, making it difficult for harmful bacteria to penetrate the treated tooth. It also reduces the spaces and cracks in teeth that trap foods and beverages, ridding your mouth of breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.

However, you must practice good oral hygiene to avoid oral infections and other severe issues, such as cavities and gum disease.

Dental Bonding is Long-Lasting

Although dental bonding is simple and takes a short time, it offers long-lasting results. You can enjoy better-looking and stronger teeth for years after bonding before you need to undergo the procedure again. However, this mainly depends on how well you care for your treated teeth. Your dentist will send you home with instructions on caring for your bonded teeth to avoid damaging or weakening the bonding.

For example, you must practice good oral hygiene to keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy. You must also eat a balanced diet, which is generally good for oral health. Your dentist will advise you to avoid biting hard foods and objects or teeth-damaging habits like grinding to protect the bonded teeth.

Dental Bonds are Highly Versatile

You can use dental bonding in various applications. If you have different dental needs, you can use dental bonding to fix most or all of them. For example, if your teeth are overlay-spaced out and some are shorter than others, your dentist can use bonding to fix those two issues in a single treatment. Dental bonding can also fix cracks and minor cavities at a go. They can also repair your discolored or stained tooth simultaneously without recommending a different treatment method.

Dental Bonding is Inexpensive

Bonding is an inexpensive way to enjoy a better smile if you have struggled with chipped, discolored, or misaligned teeth for years. Other cosmetic and restorative procedures, like veneers and dental crowns, are costly and unaffordable for most individuals and families. Dental bonding can fix more than two teeth on a budget.

Dental Bonding Treatment Process

Before undergoing any cosmetic dental procedure, your dentist must determine your suitability for the treatment. They will start by examining your teeth and gums to determine the nature and extent of the damage to your teeth, and the health of your gums. They could ask for an X-ray examination to examine the tooth’s underlying structure for damage. Remember that dental bonding only covers a tooth’s external damage. If your teeth’s internal structures have issues, the dentist must first treat the underlying problem before bonding your teeth to enhance their appearance.

Your dentist will also review your treatment history. They could ask questions about your visits to the dentist’s office, the kinds of medications you are on, and any other health issues you have. This will inform them of their treatment approach to achieve your desired results.

Remember that dental bonding is not sufficient for severely damaged teeth. Thus, your dentist will discuss your treatment options based on their examination findings. If you can benefit from dental bonding, your dentist will take you through the treatment process, explaining how it is done, the kinds of results to expect, and the pros and cons. They will allow you to decide before proceeding with treatment.

Once you are ready for the procedure, your dentist will prepare the damaged teeth for bonding. Since this is a highly non-invasive dental procedure, your teeth require minimal prior preparation. Your dentist can clean your teeth professionally to ensure they remove all dirt, stuck food particles, and any buildup that could encourage the growth of harmful bacteria on your teeth or gums. You do not require anesthesia for dental bonding because the procedure does not involve a lot of drilling on your teeth.

However, if your teeth are severely damaged and the dentist needs to perform a different procedure first, like filling a cavity, you could need anesthesia. You will also need anesthesia if one or more of your teeth is severely cracked or chipped or the dentist is performing the bonding near a nerve. In this case, your dentist must prepare your tooth well for the bonding material.

Preparing the bonding procedure involves roughening the tooth’s surface to ensure the resin bonds well on your tooth. After that, they will apply the bonding agent to the prepared tooth. In most cases, the preparation and application of the bonding agent are done together. The application of resin quickly follows this. Your dentist will mold and shape the resin correctly to ensure it takes the shape of your natural tooth. If you intend to enhance your tooth’s shape or size, your dentist will mold the resin to fit your ideal shape or size.

Finally, they will use a special UV light to cure or harden the resin. If you are not satisfied with the mold and shape of the resin, your dentist can modify it. After curing, dentists can trim, shape, and polish the resin to give it the perfect shape. They must also ensure it matches your natural teeth.

A dental bonding procedure takes minutes. Thus, you only need a single visit to your dentist’s office for a complete treatment. Depending on the number of teeth requiring treatment, you can take as few as ten minutes or up to sixty minutes. The time you will take in the dentist's office will also depend on your dentist’s experience and whether you need prior treatment before bonding.

Remember that dental bonding is mainly recommended for minor cosmetic treatments. It also works best on the front teeth. If you are unsuitable for bonding, your dentist will discuss other treatment options.

Side Effects and Risks of Bonding

Your dentist will also discuss possible side effects and risks of bonding to ensure you understand what to expect during and after treatment. This will minimize your anxiety and help you plan well for the procedure. The information will also help you better prepare to care for your treated teeth after the procedure.

Dental bonding is a relatively safe cosmetic procedure. However, some people have experienced some side effects, like allergic reactions and infections, which are generally minimal. Other issues reported after bonding include wearing out, staining, and chipping, which could occur over time after the procedure. It helps to visit your dentist regularly for dental checkups and examinations and to visit immediately after you notice a problem with your treated teeth.

Infections are some of the problems associated with dental bonding. They occur if the harmful oral bacteria in the mouth combine with dirt and stuck food particles in the mouth. Your dentist must clean your teeth and gums thoroughly before dental bonding to remove all foods, dirt, and any buildup on your teeth and gums. This will reduce your risk of infections. A dental examination before the treatment can also help ensure your teeth and gums are healthy before treatment. A skilled dentist will treat an existing infection first before performing a dental procedure.

An allergic reaction could occur if you are allergic to any of the materials used in dental bonding, such as resin, bonding agent, conditioning liquid, or the tools and equipment the dentist uses for the procedure.

You could also experience tooth discoloration after dental bonding because the resin is highly prone to discoloration. To minimize this risk, your dentist will give you a list of dos and don'ts to practice at home after treatment. For example, they could advise you to reduce your tea or coffee intake to maintain the resin color.

Your dentist will also advise practicing good oral hygiene to keep your treated teeth strong and beautiful. This involves brushing after every meal or twice daily and flossing every day.

Find a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist Near Me

If your teeth are chipped, cracked, discolored, spaced out, or appear out of shape, you could be suitable for dental bonding. It is a simple, affordable, highly effective, and noninvasive cosmetic dental procedure that can enhance your teeth’s appearance and boost your self-esteem. However, you must be suitable for bonding with your dentist to recommend it.

At Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry, we can examine your teeth and gums and review your treatment history to recommend the most suitable treatment for your damaged teeth. If you qualify for bonding in Los Angeles, we will ensure you understand the procedure, its pros and cons, and possible risk factors for easier decision-making. Call us at 310-361-2080 to discuss your dental needs in detail.