Composite bonding is a cosmetic dental procedure that applies a resin material to one or more teeth to change their shape, color, and/or size. The purpose of this dental process is to make the bonded teeth look more like the rest of the teeth in the patient's mouth. It should not be confused with crowns or veneers, as composite bonding is unique itself. A cosmetic dentist in Ocean Springs can help you decide if bonding is something you would like to do.
Benefits of Composite Bonding
There are definitely some benefits to composite bonding over other cosmetic procedures to change the appearance of your teeth. These benefits include:
- It provides protection for the original tooth underneath the resin.
- There's no need to grind or sand the tooth before applying the resin. The original tooth remains intact.
- The color of the resin matches your natural teeth and rarely yellows.
- You can remove the resin at any time if you would rather have your natural tooth back.
- It's painless, and the resin hardens almost immediately.
- No extra procedures are needed before the dentist applies the resin.
Additionally, dental resin for bonding is very hard and quite durable. Unlike veneers that will break under force, the resin used in bonding rarely breaks. Repairing a composite bonded tooth is almost unheard of, with the exception of major trauma to the face and mouth.
A Family Dentist in Ocean Springs Can Do the Bonding
If you aren't sure that you want composite bonding, some dentists offer a "freebie" on a tooth that could benefit from bonding. Usually, the family dentist in Ocean Springs will ask you during a routine cleaning or restoration (i.e., cavity repair) if you would like to see what a tooth would look like when bonded. If you agree, the dentist will prepare the tooth and apply the bonding agent followed by resin.
Then the resin is shaped so that it looks and feels natural. When you smile you will notice that the tooth doesn't look like it did before. Small gaps, twisted on-axis teeth, and misshapen teeth are camouflaged by the resin.
How Composite Bonding Is Different
With veneers, your teeth must be prepped and grooved to accept the dental adhesive and to affix the veneers to each tooth. Veneers can break, snap, and crack, leaving an obvious view of the natural tooth behind the veneer if the natural tooth doesn't break as well. Veneers need to be replaced about once every 10 years.
Crowns require that the cosmetic dentist in Ocean Springs grinds down the tooth to a nub. The nub is what the crown sits on and adheres to. There's no coming back to a natural tooth after a crown or veneer. Bonding requires none of that.
Time It Takes to Bond Teeth
Composite bonding takes almost no time to complete. Each tooth is done in about 10 minutes or so and requires no additional appointments, unlike veneers or crowns. If you are ready to see what bonding can do, contact Dr. Tyler McCabe, D.M.D., in Ocean Springs for an appointment!