What Is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is a versatile treatment that uses composite resin—the same material as composite fillings—to repair and reshape teeth. This process, known as Bonded Restoration, can restore chipped, cracked, or broken teeth to their original condition, providing long-lasting results with routine care.
Beyond repairs, dental bonding enhances your smile by reshaping teeth, correcting discolouration, and closing gaps—all without the need for veneers or orthodontics. It’s a quick, effective way to achieve a healthier, more attractive smile.
The Dental Bonding Process
Whether dental bonding is for restoring a tooth or enhancing its appearance, the process is the same. Here’s what happens during your appointment:
Preparing the Tooth
A thin plastic film called a dental matrix is placed between your teeth to protect neighbouring teeth. The dentist will clean and dry your tooth before applying a mildly acidic gel, which roughens the surface to help the bonding adhere securely.
Applying the Composite Resin
After the gel is removed and the tooth is dried, composite resin is applied. The dentist selects a shade that matches your natural teeth for a seamless finish. The resin is applied in layers, with each layer hardened using a special blue light to ensure strength and durability.
Finishing Touches
Once the bonding is complete, the dentist will check your bite and polish the tooth for a smooth, natural look. The result is so natural-looking, you may forget which tooth was repaired! At future exams, the dentist will monitor the bonded tooth for any wear and tear to ensure it stays in top condition.
How Does Dental Bonding Compare to Other Options?
Restoring your teeth or achieving your ideal smile can be accomplished in several ways, and the best approach depends on your unique needs. During your appointment, we’ll take the time to discuss your options, weighing the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision. Dental bonding is a standout choice for many patients because it’s quick, painless, cost-effective, and perfect for making minor corrections to chips, cracks, or gaps without the need for extensive treatment.
Quick and Painless
Unlike fillings or dental veneers, dental bonding typically requires little to no drilling or removal of natural tooth material. This means the procedure is minimally invasive and almost always completely painless, making it a comfortable and convenient option for many patients.
Low Upfront Cost
Dental bonding is a budget-friendly alternative to more extensive treatments like veneers or orthodontics, which often come with higher costs due to their complexity. For minor adjustments to a few teeth, bonding offers a simple, effective, and affordable solution.
Great for Small Repairs
While extensive smile transformations may require treatments like veneers, crowns, or orthodontics, dental bonding is the simplest and most efficient option for minor repairs such as chips, cracks, or small gaps.
Cost of Dental Bonding in Waterdown
The cost of dental bonding varies depending on your specific needs, typically ranging from $300 to $600 or more per tooth without insurance. Fortunately, most insurance plans cover dental bonding, especially when it’s used to repair damaged or broken teeth. With insurance, out-of-pocket costs are usually between $60 and $120 per tooth.
Factors influencing the cost include the number of teeth being bonded, whether new x-rays are needed, the amount of composite resin required, the location of the teeth in your mouth, and your overall oral health.
While it’s impossible to provide an exact quote over the phone, we’re happy to offer a personalized estimate after examining your teeth, so you can make an informed decision about your treatment.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental bonding typically lasts 4 to 10 years or longer, depending on factors like its location, your eating habits, and your oral hygiene routine. During routine checkups, your dentist can assess the bonding and apply more composite resin if needed to maintain its strength.
While dental bonding isn’t permanent, it is highly durable and can last over a decade with proper care, healthy eating habits, and regular dental exams. If signs of wear appear, the bonding can be reinforced with additional composite resin.
Bonding and veneers serve different purposes. Veneers are a better long-term solution for dramatic smile transformations, while bonding is a more cost-effective and less invasive option for minor corrections. Veneers last longer but require more alteration to your natural teeth.
Dental bonding doesn’t harm your natural teeth, which remain intact beneath the resin. The bonding material may chip or break over time, but it’s easily repairable. One consideration is that bonding doesn’t lighten with teeth whitening treatments, so you might want to whiten your teeth first or replace the bonding to match a brighter shade later. For more durable options, veneers or crowns might be worth exploring.
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