Protecting Our Kids' Smiles

When thinking of a perfect smile, you probably picture white and bright teeth. But that is not always the case. Even if you have the brightest of teeth, they can deny you that beautiful smile if they are cracked or chipped. And that is where dental bonding comes in. With dental bonding, you can repair chipped or cracked teeth, close the gaps between your teeth, or make your teeth look longer.

How The Procedure Goes Down

The procedure begins with your cosmetic dentist picking a composite resin color that matches the color of your tooth. The surface of your tooth is then etched and a conditioning liquid applied. This action ensures that the bonding material sticks to the tooth. The next step involves fitting the material, molding and smoothing it to the required shape. Finally, the material is hardened using an ultraviolet light.

How You Should Take Care Of Your Bonded Teeth

There is no heavy work involved in taking care of bonded teeth. They just require the same attention as your other teeth; brushing the teeth regularly and flossing. But due to the porous nature of the bonding material, you should stop smoking or taking coffee regularly because the composite resin might catch stain and change its color to yellow.  

Another concern is that the bonding material is not as strong as your other teeth. If the bonding material is positioned on the front teeth, certain actions such as chewing pens or biting fingernails can chip the material.

Alternatives To Dental Bonding

If you are not into dental bonding, veneer is the other option you can choose. Veneer is a thin material made of porcelain that is designed to fit over the front surface of your tooth. Just like dental bonding, veneers can also make a chipped tooth appear whole once again. The thickest part of the porcelain material covers the chipped section.

Dental bonding has several advantages and one is that it does not involve a lot of work as compared to other methods like veneer. Veneers are customized tooth coverings and hence they are first manufactured in a lab. Dental bonding, however, does not require such procedures and can be done with just a single visit to the dentist.  Another advantage is that not much of your tooth's enamel -- outer covering -- is removed, which is not the same with other methods. And unless you are having a cavity filled, you do not have to worry about anesthetic injections.