Looking for Dental Bonding in Burnaby?
Visit us at VCCID!
If you’re concerned or embarrassed by the spaces between your front teeth, chips in your teeth, ragged and uneven edges, discolored or crooked teeth, bonding may be the solution. Dental bonding has long been a very popular treatment for problems related to the appearance and effectiveness of teeth.
Bonding is both an aesthetic and restorative treatment, meaning that it can improve the functionality of your teeth, along with their physical appearance. Dental bonding is often closely compared to veneers which are a similar dental procedure.
There are benefits to both dental bonding and veneers. It is common to use dental bonding as a temporary fix while waiting for veneers. Dental bonding can also stand alone as a procedure and, if cared for properly, can last for years.
What Is Dental Bonding?
None of the photos have been retouched other than to crop images to the appropriate size and area of interest.
These photos are examples only. The exact and potential outcome varies with each patient, depending on many factors such as the presenting condition(s), general health, and dental health, etc. If you wish to learn more we recommend contacting us for a consultation to discuss your concerns, treatment options, and results that are feasible for your dental condition.
Bonding describes the process whereby dental filling materials are attached to the enamel and dentine layer of your teeth on a microscopic level. The bonding material is often made up of a composite; a plastic resin that quickly adheres to teeth.
This material hardens and bonds to the first layer of the tooth, making it an effective extension of the old, original tooth. Bonding can be color matched to surrounding teeth, in order to create a seamless smile.
This layer of bonding can be used to change the size, shape, and color of teeth. It is often used if a patient has chipped a tooth at the front of their mouth. It can be used on the outer layer of the tooth to extend it back to its full size.
How Many Appointments Will I Need?
Bonding is fast and can be done in a single visit to your dentist. It is an inexpensive way to cover any flaws that you are unhappy with. During the appointments, the tooth-colored material is applied to the patient’s teeth and bonded onto the tooth, to mask any cracks or maladies.
Bonding is a very efficient procedure and can be used both as a temporary or long-term treatment for aesthetic dental concerns. It is fast and affordable.
Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Bonding?
Nobody has perfect teeth, not even dentists. There are many issues that dental bonding can help to rectify. If you have natural gaps in your teeth, discoloration, or chipped areas from playing sports or injuries, dental bonding is a fast and efficient way to dramatically improve the appearance of your teeth.
Anyone can get dental bonding and people get it for a variety of different reasons. The most common purpose is for aesthetic reasons. You want to have a smile that you aren’t afraid to show off!
Veneers and dental bonding are no longer exclusively treatments for celebrities. Many individuals have decided to undergo treatment to rectify personal preferences that they have with regards to their smile and overall appearance.
Bonding is one of the most popular aesthetic treatments as it makes for a quick and visible difference to the teeth.
Dental Bonding or Veneers?
Dental bonding is often compared to veneers, as it follows a similar concept. Both procedures are restorative and act to mask and cover your original teeth. Bonding does not last as long as veneers, however, it is cost effective and beneficial for less severe cases of tooth repair.
In some situations, people seek out dental bonding as a more immediate treatment, because it is more cost effective than porcelain veneers. It can act as a transition treatment to quickly improve the appearance of teeth while a patient is preparing for a longer lasting set of porcelain veneers.
Dental Bonding Procedure
None of the photos have been retouched other than to crop images to the appropriate size and area of interest.
These photos are examples only. The exact and potential outcome varies with each patient, depending on many factors such as the presenting condition(s), general health, and dental health, etc. If you wish to learn more we recommend contacting us for a consultation to discuss your concerns, treatment options, and results that are feasible for your dental condition.
The procedure for dental bonding may seem fairly simple and straightforward. There are, however, many factors that you should keep in mind.
Your dentist will color match the bonding material to your teeth and may want to create a model of your teeth before the procedure. You can also have dental filler (a mockup) applied to your teeth first, without the bonding, so that you and your dentist can be sure that you like the results of the procedure.
During the treatment, we apply a thin layer of veneer or filling material to the front of the teeth to camouflage irregularities. Bonding can close spaces between front teeth, repair chips or ragged or uneven edges, and even make a crooked tooth look straight. The material bonds to the teeth and gives the patient a resulting gorgeous smile.
Bonding can be used to change one tooth or dramatically change an entire smile….that really depends on the current condition of your teeth and what you expect as a final result. Bonding has long-lasting results when patients practice healthy oral care and are generally replaced every 4 to 7 years.
Procedures can be done in one appointment, often without any anesthetic and the results are beautiful.
Caring for Bonded Teeth
None of the photos have been retouched other than to crop images to the appropriate size and area of interest.
These photos are examples only. The exact and potential outcome varies with each patient, depending on many factors such as the presenting condition(s), general health, and dental health, etc. If you wish to learn more we recommend contacting us for a consultation to discuss your concerns, treatment options, and results that are feasible for your dental condition.
After you have undergone dental bonding, you will want to keep your teeth as clean and white as possible. Certain foods tend to stain teeth more than others, such as coffee, tea and especially smoking. It is not to say that you cannot enjoy these foods but need to be aware that all composite materials have a greater amount of porosity than natural enamel or porcelain, so there is a tendency to stain after many years.
Bleaching and other lightening treatments do not whiten the bonding in the same way that they lighten your surrounding teeth. The best maintenance is to brush your teeth twice per day as usual and have them cleaned by a dentist bi-annually to get long lasting results out of your dental bonding. If there are minor areas of staining these can often be touched up or polished by your dentist.
However, if there is a lot of staining it is often best to have the bonding redone, which is often the main reason that composite bonding or composite veneers do not last as long as porcelain veneers.
Although the material used for dental bonding is fairly strong, it is still not as strong as your original teeth or even porcelain. You can continue to eat the foods that you enjoy, but be aware that dental bonding can still chip like your teeth.
Avoid habits such as opening things with your front teeth, chewing on pens or any grinding and clenching habits. with your front teeth. Another advantage with bonding is that, much like a minor stain, if an area chips it can usually be easily repaired by re-bonding the broken surface.
Visit our clinic in Metrotown for a consultation today!
With dental bonding and proper care, you can change the appearance of your teeth almost immediately, and the long-lasting effects of the treatment will keep you smiling for years to come.
If you are interested in learning more about our dental bonding treatments, come into VCCID, and talk with us about your specific needs. Our hygienists and dentists will be able to answer all of your questions and you can start on a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Call us at (604) 434-0248, or come on in to start your journey with dental bonding today.
Dental Bonding FAQs
What is dental bonding?
Bonding describes the process whereby dental filling materials are attached to the enamel and dentin layer of your teeth on a microscopic level. The bonding material is often made up of a composite; a plastic resin that quickly adheres to teeth.
This material hardens and bonds to the first layer of the tooth, making it an effective extension of the old, original tooth. Bonding can be colour-matched to surrounding teeth, in order to create a seamless smile.
This layer of bonding can be used to change the size, shape, and color of teeth. It is often used if a patient has chipped a tooth at the front of their mouth. It can be used on the outer layer of the tooth to extend it back to its full size.
How many appointments will I need for dental bonding?
Bonding is fast and can be done in a single visit to your dentist. It is an inexpensive way to cover any flaws that you are unhappy with. During the appointment, the tooth-coloured material is applied to the patient’s teeth and bonded onto the tooth to mask any cracks or maladies.
In short, bonding is a fast, affordable, and very efficient procedure and can be used both as a temporary or long-term treatment for aesthetic dental concerns.
I had a bonding job done many years ago that lasted forever, but a recent bonding job started chipping off within months. Why?
It’s important to keep in mind that at the time the original bonding was done, your bite may have been different. It may be that the pressure/forces on your teeth are different/greater than they were years ago, so the new bonding may not be as strong to withstand the chewing/functional forces.
Bonding can be a very challenging process between getting something that is aesthetic, functional, and “feasible” within your bite/pathways of function, as well as strong enough to last for a reasonable length of time. Certainly, technique and dental experience can play a role, but I have also done bonding for patients where certain teeth continue to chip. It’s a challenge that comes from limitations of the material and the way a person’s mouth naturally moves. In some cases, it is better to use a stronger material such as porcelain.
If you have concerns, it’s best to speak to your dentist and see if:
1. They understand why the bonding has been chipping
2. What they can do to minimize chipping by either making changes to how it’s done or choosing to use different materials for specific teeth
