Oh no! You’ve cracked or chipped your tooth. Does this mean it has to be replaced? Not necessarily! Your dentist may be able to repair your tooth with a process called dental bonding. This process uses a special material to fill in chips and cracks in your tooth, saving your tooth and your smile. Beavers & Broomfield Family Dentistry offers dental bonding services in case you have a bit of trouble with your teeth. We can make the tooth look as good as new in no time!
What Is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding, or tooth bonding, is a cosmetic or restorative dental procedure where a composite resin is used to repair minor chips, cracks, or breaks in the teeth. This resin can be shaped as it’s applied to the tooth, so your dentist can make it match your tooth, even down to the same shade as the rest of the tooth. The result looks like a complete, unblemished tooth.
Once the tooth is shaped and shaded perfectly, your dentist will use a special light to set the resin. The light hardens the resin so it stays in place.
Dental bonding has advantages over veneers and crowns in that the tooth doesn’t need to be altered to apply the bonding. Dental bonding is for use on a tooth that is otherwise healthy. If your tooth has significant damage or tooth decay, then a veneer or crown might be the better option.
Why Get Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding has several practical purposes. The bonding will repair or fill in any cracks or chips in your tooth. This protects the rest of the tooth and keeps it from being more susceptible to tooth decay.
Dental bonding can also lengthen a tooth that doesn’t develop properly and ends up too short or too small. That can make it harder to bite or chew. The resin of dental bonding can be applied and shaped so that the tooth matches those around it better.
For the cosmetic side, dental bonding can improve the look of your smile. This is good for boosting your self-esteem.
Dental bonding is a safe, effective method for saving a damaged tooth and improving your smile.
Caring for Dental Bonding on Teeth
Dental bonding is strong and looks great, but it isn’t your natural enamel. Very few things are stronger than your natural enamel. With that in mind, it’s important to avoid chewing on hard things with your bonded teeth. Do you have a habit of gnawing on a pen? Do you like to chew ice? Eat hard candy? These things can actually damage your dental bond, so it’s best to avoid them. Of course, they can also damage your natural enamel, so it’s best to avoid them anyway!
You’ll also want to avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth, or you’ll want to whiten your teeth before they are bonded. Once the bonding is set, the color can’t be changed. So if you stain your tooth or whiten it, the bonding may stand out.
Getting Dental Bonding in Fayetteville AR
Beavers & Broomfield Family Dentistry in Fayetteville, AR, offers dental bonding, along with other cosmetic or restorative dental services. We can repair your tooth and make it look as good as new in no time! We also offer other restorative and cosmetic services such as crowns, veneers, and teeth whitening.
You don’t have to live with a chipped or cracked tooth, which can diminish the look of your smile. Leaving chips or cracks unrepaired can also lead to faster tooth decay in that tooth. Dental bonding is a solution to both. It protects your tooth and restores your smile. Give us a call and let us show you how we can repair your smile!