Cosmetic Dental Bonding Chelmsford

Are you self-conscious about your teeth because they are broken, chipped or stained? Cosmetic dental bonding at Chelmsford Dental Specialists Group can help your teeth appear new again in a relatively inexpensive way.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a type of dentistry that fixes minor issues with teeth through the use of a special composite material that is directly applied, sculpted, hardened and polished. The procedure is called bonding because of the way that the material and the tooth form a bond.

Bonding is optimal for minor cosmetic work by repairing a chipped or broken tooth or closing gaps in between teeth. Bonding is also used sometimes to create dental fillings for small cavities due to the fact that the bonding material closely resembles the color of teeth, making it more aesthetically appealing than fillings that have a silver color.

Dental Bonding: Pros and Cons

Although dental bonding is not as expensive as dental veneers, it is not a perfect solution for every patient.

Dental Bonding Advantages:

• Dental bonding is relatively inexpensive.
• Most bonding procedures only involve one office visit and can be completed in as little as 30 minutes per tooth.
• If the purpose of the dental bonding is purely cosmetic, anesthesia should not be required. Dental bonding also requires less enamel removal than dental veneers and crowns.

Dental Bonding Disadvantages:

• Bonding material can stain. Unlike porcelain veneers and crowns, bonding materials tend to grow stained over time. This is usually due to lifestyle choices like drinking coffee and red wine, as well as smoking tobacco.
• To reduce stains. To be sure to avoid those lifestyle choices for a day or two after your bonding procedure. If you plan to continue smoking, you will need to select a different type of cosmetic treatment because the bonding material will become yellowed.
• Not as strong. The dental bonding material is not as strong and durable as crowns and porcelain veneers. It can chip easily; however, it can still last up to seven years when properly cared for.

What to Expect with Cosmetic Dental Bonding

To begin a cosmetic dental bonding, your dentist will apply an acidic agent to your teeth to roughen their surface in preparation for receiving the bonding material. This process helps create a stronger bond between the bonding material and your teeth. The process is not painful at all.

The bonding material itself is a soft and malleable substance that is placed onto the surface of the tooth. Your dentist will carefully shape and sculpt it. Next, a special light will help it to “cure.” This means that it helps the material to solidify and set. The last step is when your dentist will polish the composite and buff it for a nice, smooth finish.