Tooth Repair has undergone many changes over the past 20 years with technological advances making repairs easier. When it comes to tooth repair, Dr. Denise Stone of Stone Family Dentistry, your dentist in Cosmetic Dentistry in Charleston, SC, has many years of experience in repairing lost or cracked teeth.
Bonding
For those who choose not to go the veneer route, bonding is a great way to repair chipped or cracked teeth. In most cases, bonding doesn’t require anesthesia which makes the procedure a same-day visit. This is also a great way to repair teeth aesthetically speaking when the teeth are otherwise in great shape. What makes up the bonding compound and why does it work so well in repairing and strengthening teeth?
Bonding Compound
The compound to a tooth bond is made up of a composite resin that takes form in the shape of your teeth. This composite resin is quite strong and will hold up for many years under normal use (chewing, biting, etc.). However, it doesn’t last forever as it will eventually need to be replaced some years down the road. The reason for this is due to natural wear and tear, especially if you bite down and chew on hard objects (ice cubes, jawbreaker candies, etc.) as this will accelerate the wear-down process and possibly lead to chips of the composite resin. The bond is also susceptible to staining due to smoking, red wine consumption, and coffee consumption.
The Process of Bonding
We will look at the typical process of a bond per Dr. Stone, your dentist in Cosmetic Dentistry in Charleston, SC.
- Initial Consultation - this covers the first visit and establishes what the issue is (cracks, chips, broken teeth, etc.)
- X-Rays / 3D Analysis - this will establish what your affected tooth “should” look like in comparison to adjoining teeth.
- Color Analysis - this will match the color of the composite resin to the color of your other teeth to make a more natural appearance.
- Bonding Procedure - this is the actual procedure and will be completed in one visit with typically no need to put the patient under anesthesia unless requested to do so by the patient.
- Anesthesia Rarities - there are certain cases where anesthesia is administered for a bonding procedure, these cases are: the bond is placed near a nerve ending in the tooth, you need a filling as part of the procedure, or there are significant amounts of shaping that need to be done with the composite resin to fill in your tooth.
- UV Light - The finishing process to the bonding procedure is to place UV light onto the bond to dry the composite resin.
To Learn More
If you would like to learn more about tooth bonding and schedule an initial consultation, please contact Dr. Stone at Stone Family Dentistry, your dentist in Cosmetic Dentistry in Charleston, SC at (843) 556-6566 today.