Teeth bonding is an excellent treatment option for children and adults looking to conceal minor blemishes on their dental structures. Children benefit from teeth bonding when they have minor imperfections on their baby teeth. The teeth bonding procedure is minimally invasive and will help restore your child’s beautiful smile until their tooth falls out and is replaced by a permanent tooth.
Adults can also benefit from this cost-effective solution by quickly concealing minor imperfections, preventing their smiles from being uniform. Learn more about our teeth bonding services below.
Teeth Bonding in Suffolk, VA
Dr. Steve Gwaltney, Dr. J. Ryland Gwaltney, and Dr. Whitney Gwaltney are passionate about cosmetic dentistry in Suffolk, VA. They have helped many children and adult patients improve their smiles using tooth-bonding solutions.
Teeth bonding allows our doctors to provide a minimally invasive, cost-effective solution to concealing minor imperfections on your teeth. As long as the issues you are trying to conceal are not severe or impeding the functionality of your smile, teeth bonding can be used to cover up minor issues and restore the look of your smile.
The Tooth Bonding Procedure
Your Suffolk, VA dentist can complete the tooth bonding procedure in one visit. It is a minimally invasive, conservative treatment used for many dental concerns. The first thing your dentist will need to do is prepare the tooth. This involves removing a minimal amount of tooth structure and then applying a conditioning liquid.
Teeth bonding uses a tooth-colored resin material, similar to what is used during dental fillings. Once we prepare the tooth, we apply the resin material evenly over the imperfection on the tooth that you are trying to conceal. It is sculpted into the desired shape by hand. Then, it is hardened to your dental structures using ultraviolet light.
Once complete, your doctor will file down the material to ensure it blends in against your tooth and is not interfering with your bite pattern. This process is minimally invasive, and many patients do not require numbing solutions while undergoing this treatment.
You can’t treat some dental concerns using teeth bonding. Your doctor will evaluate your dental concerns and determine if bonding is the appropriate approach or not. While we are happy to conceal minor imperfections using teeth bonding, we do not want to cover up major concerns like severe chips or cracks that could lead to future issues or discomfort. Rest assured that we will keep the best interests of your future dental health in mind when offering you a treatment option.
If your dentist decides your dental concern is too severe for a simple bonding treatment, they may recommend another more permanent treatment, such as a dental crown or porcelain veneer.
Tooth Bonding FAQs
Dental bonding is one of the most popular dental solutions. Read on to learn more about tooth bonding by reading the answers to these frequently asked questions.
How long does it take dental bonding to cure?
On average, dental bonding takes 30-60 minutes to place. Then, as soon as the dentist activates the hardening process, your bond will cure immediately. Thus there is no wait time for it to settle, and you can use your teeth as soon as you leave the office.
How long after bonding can I eat?
After dental bonding, you do not have to wait to eat or drink. Bonding cures immediately, so eating or drinking directly after your appointment is completely safe. However, you should know that you may experience slight tooth sensitivity to heat and cold after bonding.
Does bonding stain easily?
Dental bonding is an effective procedure, but the material can easily stain. Dental bonding can change the look of your teeth by making them appear darker than the surrounding tooth structure. This is because composite resin is very susceptible to discoloration.
Does tooth bonding break easily?
Composite bonding does not break or very seldom comes off. The most frequent causes of composite bonding chipping include biting and chewing on hard foods and teeth grinding. If you know that you grind your teeth, bonding may not be the best cosmetic procedure for you.
How many times can you bond a tooth?
You can bond as many times as you’d like as long as your tooth has the necessary structure. The more times you bond to a tooth, the more likely it is that the tooth may deteriorate, so too much bonding may eventually cause your tooth to require a crown.
Request a Dental Exam Today
If you want to learn more about how teeth bonding can help you improve your smile aesthetics, schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation with our experienced doctors at Gwaltney Dental. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you achieve a beautiful and healthy smile.