Improve The Appearance of Your Smile – Easily, Affordably, And in One Visit with Dental Bonding

Basics

Like porcelain veneers, dental bonding involves applying a tooth-like material to the front surfaces of the teeth. This material is then secured to the natural tooth. Once secured, the process disguises a variety of cosmetic imperfections. Bonding is also known as “direct veneers” because the pliable composite resin material is placed directly on the teeth and shaped by your dentist. Our dentists’ skills shine; using advanced diagnostics and considerable experience, they design a tooth structure that looks, feels, and functions no differently than natural and healthy teeth. 

Suitable conditions

It is our privilege to include a few ways that the bonding process has boosted our patients’ smile appeal. Treatable cosmetic imperfections include:

• Discoloration — Not all types of staining and discoloration are responsive to professional whitening procedures. Some intrinsic or internal stains may be stubborn and resistant to potent whitening formulations. Bonding may be used to cover up very dark stains or stains caused by the likes of early, excess fluoride and antibiotics use. 
• Chipping — Uneven surfaces and jagged edges distract from an otherwise beautiful smile. If you have cosmetic chips caused by enamel erosion or habits like tooth grinding in your sleep, our dentists apply and shape the artificial tooth structure to cover up surface irregularities. 
• Gaps — You may have developed a gap over time. Or a space you’ve always had between teeth may have widened with time. Our doctors shape composite resin to close gaps and fill in excess spaces between teeth.

Our doctors can also use the resin to reshape or resize a tooth, which may appear to stick out in an unattractive or distracting way. 

It’s not enough to have a tooth that merely looks too short, is chipped, or is deeply stained. Dental bonding may be a good fit with your budget, schedule, and long-term goals. It is generally considered a more affordable and more accessible alternative to veneers. The procedure is also reversible since bonding materials are applied directly to the tooth with minimal preparation. Veneers require removing a minimal amount of tooth structure, a process that helps make room for the width of the thin layers of porcelain that is the veneer. 

The removal of enamel is also associated with increased tooth sensitivity. If you are prone to this condition, bonding may be an excellent way to go. If tooth-grinding results in chips and other damage to be corrected with either bonding or veneers, you’ll want to protect your investment. A dental appliance can be made to fit your mouth. Worn at night, it prevents further chipping to bonded or veneered teeth. 

Now, dental bonding is generally a less durable way to correct imperfections than “indirect” veneers made with porcelain. Additionally, unlike porcelain veneers, composite resin stains. Plus, nothing replicates the appearance of natural enamel quite like porcelain!

We look forward to discussing your options for treatment—Call (978) 881-5826 to schedule an appointment at our office in Acton. And we serve Littleton, West Concord, Concord, Maynard, Westford, Boxborough, Stow, Harvard, Sudbury, and surrounding communities.