If you have a chipped tooth or other small defect, Dr. Patel can use dental bonding to improve your smile in a single visit while leaving most of your natural tooth in place. Dental bonding can also be used to close a small gap between the teeth or to conceal spots or discolorations.
In the hands of an expert like Dr. Patel, dental bonding can yield extraordinary results. The pictures below show what can be done with dental bonding when performed by a truly gifted cosmetic dentist.
Before Dental Bonding
After Dental Bonding
Notice that the repaired tooth exactly matches the other front tooth in color variations and translucency, and looks like a completely natural part of this patient’s smile.
Dental Bonding Process
First, the tooth to be treated is roughened slightly so the bonding material will adhere to it. Next, a thin coating of bonding agent is applied to the tooth, then the composite material is placed on the tooth. Composite material has a thick, paste-like consistency that can be molded and shaped by the dentist. It can be mixed in different colors and translucencies to match your natural teeth. This is where the artistic eye of the dentist is so critically important, as a poor match in either of these attributes will be glaringly obvious. Sometimes several layers of different colors and consistencies of composite material are used to achieve the most natural result. Finally, once Dr. Patel is pleased with the result, he will cure the composite material with a high-intensity light.
Choosing the Right Dentist for Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is known as a “direct” technique, meaning that Dr. Patel does the work right on your tooth. Of all cosmetic dentistry techniques, dental bonding is perhaps one of the most demanding skill sets acquired by a cosmetic dentist. The work is done freehand, with no computer-aided design in color matching or sculpting. Only an artistically gifted and highly trained cosmetic dentist can do truly beautiful bonding work, so choosing the right dentist for this procedure is of the utmost importance.
Dental Bonding versus Porcelain Veneers
Dental bonding can drastically improve minor imperfections involving one or two teeth, typically in a single visit. However, it is not typically the preferred technique for complete smile makeovers or if there are several teeth in need of repair. Porcelain veneers offer enhanced durability and stain resistance for more substantial restorations.