Sometimes in dentistry it is the most basic and routine procedures that can make all the difference. It doesn’t have to be a painful root canal treatment, or extensive dental implant surgery to restore the appearance of healthy teeth. Sometimes just small adjustments or repairs are all that is needed to produce a healthy looking smile. Dental bonding is one such procedure. By using small amounts of this tooth-coloured resin, a dentist can repair a cracked or chipped tooth, can fill uneven gaps between teeth and even create a barrier to more sensitive areas of the teeth.
Dental bonding also has the advantage of being very cheap compared to some of the more intrusive procedures. Because dental bonding does not need to be manufactured in laboratory conditions, it is greatly reduced in cost and also means dental bonding can be carried out in one visit to the dentist. This is unless there are large areas that need to be bonded, in which case the bonding will need to set before a new layer is added. Dental bonding is usually a painless procedure unless it is being used to protect exposed or sensitive areas.
The main alternatives to dental bonding are dental crowns. Crowns are computer manufactured, ceramic caps that fit over the top of existing teeth. They are very strong but do require existing teeth to be ground down before they can be cemented. Crowns are therefore only used when the integrity of the teeth has been damaged beyond repair. When a tooth is still intact and relatively strong, a dentist will prefer to use bonding to make the repairs.
Dental bonding resin can be mixed to most closely resemble the natural colour of the patient’s teeth to provide the most satisfactory cosmetic results. It is molded to the desired shape by the dentist and then set hard by the intense heat of a laser. This whole process should take no longer than an hour and is a strong and painless way to restore the strength and appearance of your teeth.
Dental bonding is a very versatile material that can be used to carry out all sorts of repairs, both structural and cosmetic. A Leeds dentist may be able to make some small, low price adjustments to your teeth with dental bonding to give your smile that extra edge.