Dental bonding – also known as composite bonding – is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material is applied and hardened with a special light, which ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth to restore or improve a person’s appearance and smile.
Dental bonding can be an option:
- To repair decayed teeth (composite resins are used to fill cavities)
- To repair chipped or cracked teeth
- To improve the appearance of discolored teeth
- To close spaces between teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To change the shape of teeth
- As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
- To protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed due to gums receding
The Dental Bonding Procedure
Dental bonding on the anterior or front teeth is an excellent method for repairing minor imperfections such as chips and stains. It can repair cracked, chipped, and discolored teeth as well as replace silver amalgam fillings. Dental bonding can also be a great alternative to more extensive (and expensive) cosmetic dentistry treatment with porcelain veneers, bridges, and crowns. Dental bonding is an excellent option for individuals looking to repair imperfections in their smile.
Porcelain Crowns
Porcelain crowns have been used in dentistry for more than fifty years. Porcelain crowns refer to a dental crown made utilizing porcelain. These crowns are not as strong as bonded crowns, however they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.
Porcelain crowns tend to require two to three appointments to create and the most important aspect of it is how accurately it fits and color-matches the affected tooth. Porcelain crowns are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not.
Porcelain crowns are usually used on teeth that can be seen when a person smiles so that the crown appears to be the same color as the rest of the natural teeth.
If you have large visible fillings when you speak or smile, crowns can eliminate the metallic look. Crowns protect and cover cracked or damaged teeth while restoring your smile to its original strength and beauty. Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color or your teeth giving you a natural, long-lasting beautiful smile, and they are the perfect permanent restoration when a tooth is severely damaged, decayed or compromised aesthetically.
