Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored filling material is applied and hardened with a special light, which "bonds" to the tooth to restore or enhance a person's smile. Tooth colored fillings look much like natural tooth structure.
Advantages: Bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. Unlike porcelain veneers and crowns, which are lab designed tooth coverings, bonding usually can be completed in one office visit. Also with smaller restorations, dental anesthesia may not be required. The cost of dental bonding is lower than porcelain veneers and crowns, but the lifespan and durability of bonding can be less.
Disadvantages: Although the material used in dental bonding is often stain resistant, it does not resist stains as well as porcelain veneers and crowns. Another disadvantage is that the bonding materials do not last as long nor are as strong as, porcelain crowns and veneers. Additionally, bonding materials can chip and break off the tooth.
Because of some of the limitations of bonding, some dentists view bonding as best suited for small cosmetic changes, for temporary correction of cosmetic defects, and for correction of teeth in areas of very low bite pressure (for example, front teeth).
Please contact our office if you are curious if you are a candidate for cosmetic enhancement and/or tooth colored fillings.