How Long Should You Expect Dental Bonding to Last

What Is Dental Bonding?

It is a dental procedure for repairing and restoring teeth in cosmetic dentistry. Dental bonding near you focuses on improving the general appearance of your smile by modifying teeth. A dentist near you will employ dental bonding in Canton, OH, to change teeth’ size, color, shape, and spacing.

How Does Dental Bonding Work?

At Danner Dental, dental bonding features composite resin. The resin comes in a putty-like state, making application on natural teeth easy. The procedure entails applying the composite resin on teeth to fix underlying dental flaws.

First, your attending dentist will roughen the surface of your mouth with a conditioning liquid. A rough surface will promote adherence of the resin to your natural tooth structure. Afterward, (s)he will apply the composite resin to your tooth, molding and shaping it accordingly. Using lasers, the dentist will harden the resin, making it one with your natural teeth. The final step of the procedure entails trimming excess composite and polishing it for the perfect glare.

When Can Composite Bonding Help Your Smile?

Cosmetic dentists employ composite bonding because it is a quick treatment that can be versatile to correct many dental flaws. Some of the ways that composite bonding can change your smile are:

1. Cracked, chipped, and broken teeth
2. Spaces between teeth – the gaps need to be small. Big gaps are better treated with braces in orthodontic dentistry.
3. Stained teeth – dental discoloration does not always need to result in enamel bleaching. If you want a conservative approach to whitening your natural teeth, consider composite bonding. Besides, dentists employ dental bonding for stubborn stains that would otherwise not respond well to bleaching approaches.
4. Oddly shaped teeth – front teeth have ideal shapes that define a beautiful smile. When your teeth are too pointy, rounded, or unusually short, you need dental bonding.
5. Worn down teeth – teeth’ enamels can wear down due to excessive teeth grinding, clenching, aging, or bad oral habits.
6. Crooked teeth – slight crookedness of teeth does not always necessitate wearing braces for months. Dentists can use composite bonding to straighten such teeth.
7. Decayed teeth – dentists can use composites as alternatives to metal-based fillings like amalgams in restorative dentistry.

Should You Get Composite Teeth?

Cosmetic dentistry offers more solutions for repairing your teeth, including dental veneers. However, several patients prefer composite bonding to dental veneers for the following reasons:

1. It is a quick treatment – it should take about 45 minutes in-office to restore a tooth through dental bonding.
2. Painless and non-invasive procedure – the dentist will not need to cut any soft tissues or tram your teeth’ enamels before dental bonding.
3. Reversible treatment – if you want to undo your treatment by removing the composites from your natural teeth, you can. Your natural teeth will still be intact even after dental bonding.
4. Affordable solution – compared to the cost of getting porcelain veneers, composite bonding is the inexpensive alternative.
5. Aesthetic benefits – composites are tooth-colored, mimicking the color of natural teeth.

How Long Does Composite Bonding Last?

Although dental bonding has amazing results, they do not last forever. Composites are not the sturdiest materials in dentistry. They wear down easily, usually lasting between 5 and 8 years. Some patients can sustain their composites much longer than that.

How Can You Make Composite Bonding Last a Long Time?

Various factors affect how long your composites will last. These factors revolve around how you care for your teeth after composite bonding. Some ways to make dental bonding last longer are:

1. Stop smoking – tobacco will stain your teeth.
2. Brush your teeth twice every day – plaque and food residues will stain your teeth. Besides, the last thing you want is to incur dental cavities around the bonded teeth.
3. Visit your dentist regularly – routine dental exams and cleanings are crucial for increasing the longevity of your composite teeth.
4. Tame bad oral habits – including teeth grinding, fingernail biting, and opening bottles and cans with your teeth, to mention a few. These bad habits will chip and break your composite teeth.
5. Avoid hard, tough, and crunchy foods – hard and crunchy foods like popcorn kernels, candies, and ice cubes will break your teeth. Tough foods are too chewy, weakening the structural bond between your natural teeth and the composites.