Cosmetic dental bonding

Dental bonding is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that has been in use for many years. With dental bonding you can get a smile makeover in just one visit to dentist’s office. This procedure involves the clever and creative use of the right quantity and color of "dental composite", which is a mouldable substance with a paste-like consistency containing acrylic resins and a range of fillers, depending on the type used. Bonding is used for a range of cosmetic dental treatments. Filling dental cavities, replacing metal or amalgam fillings, restoring broken and chipped teeth, closing gaps between teeth, reshaping teeth, smile makeovers with composite veneers and composite "white" fillings are the main treatments.

Dental composite bonding is the preferred method for fillings by many people because the material can match the color, luminousness and even the texture of a person’s own natural teeth. They also offer superior results compared to old amalgam or silver fillings because they can be unattractive when you smile. Old metal fillings are frequently replaced by cosmetic dentists with tooth-colored composite. There is an ongoing argument in the industry about the safety of using amalgam fillings that contain mercury. A lot of dentists are of the view that metal fillings need to be detached using a safe procedure, which includes separating the teeth with a rubber dam material.

Cosmetic bonding cannot be used for all cavities. It is not appropriate for people who have big cavities in their teeth, since the material’s structure is not strong enough to cover a big area. Bonding is the perfect solution for minor fillings that are not subject to too much pressure. With the latest developments in the cosmetic dentistry, most dentists are switching in to CAD/CAM CEREC technology to create ceramic fillings. They have several benefits such as strength and visual appeal and they are easily fixed during single visit which will only take about an hour. Certain clinics may get their dental technicians to make a ceramic filling, which may take up to two weeks.

The dentist will start the procedure with an injection of local anaesthetic into the gum area around the tooth. But certain treatments that involve cosmetic bonding do not require a local anaesthetic. The surface of the tooth is carefully cleaned to get rid of any remains or tartar that is gathered, as the composite requires a clean surface to bond to. The dentist have to pick the right color of composite, after that the tooth is allowed to dry by surrounding it with cotton rolls or a latex sheet. Then the dentist has to shape or roughen the tooth using a special tool.
A special phosphoric-acid-based gel is applied on the surface of the tooth to make the composite stick better. After that the composite is applied to the tooth surface and exposed to a special light source to activate the composite to harden and set. The bonding agent is normally applied to the tooth in a few thin layers of 1mm-2 mm until the preferred shape, luminousness and texture is attained. Your dentist will then polish the composite to get the required shape and perfect finish as the last step.



Larry Steevan is the PR Manager at Dental & Health on Clarendon, Dentists Port Melbourne. They are specialized for many dental treatments including cosmetic dentistry , dental implants Melbourne , teeth white filling, dental veneers , crowns and bridges. They are more popular as Cosmetic Dentists Melbourne