Oh no! You’ve cracked your tooth!
What do you do next?
Although it may seem like the end of the world, it’s actually a relatively quick and painless fix.
The fix is called dental bonding. And we’re going to tell you all about it.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is done by applying a composite resin to your tooth. It’s a simple, cosmetic fix and is a cost-effective way of repairing your tooth. There is no surgery or procedure to undergo, and it can usually be completed in one visit.
Bonding is a widely-used and inexpensive method to solve a variety of tooth problems. However, it is most commonly used for chipped or discolored teeth.
The Process
As we said earlier, the process isn’t very involved and patients can get their teeth bonded in one trip to the dentist. The first step is selecting the color.
Our dental team will use a shade guide to carefully select the shade of resin that matches the natural color of your teeth. From there, the surface of your tooth will be “roughened” and a conditioning liquid is applied to help the resin adhere to your tooth.
After your tooth gets prepped, we will apply a clay-like resin to the tooth and then mold it into the proper shape. The resin is then hardened using an ultraviolet light or laser. Finally, we will go back in to do any finishing touches.
There may be some final reshaping to be done, and we will polish the resin to look like your other teeth.
The downside to bonded teeth is the resin isn’t as strong as a natural tooth. If you’ve had a tooth bonded, you may want to avoid habits like chewing on ice or pens, or biting your nails. Chewing these hard items may chip the resin and undo everything you’ve just had done! We don’t want that.
Caring For Your Bonded Tooth
The resin used in bonding is prone to staining. You’ll want to avoid foods that stain(tea, wine, coffee) for 48 hours after your bonding procedure. If you notice sharp edges on your bonded tooth, it starts to feel strange when you chew, or you see bits and pieces of the bonding fall off, call your dentist.
The material that’s on your tooth now is not natural enamel, so continue to be careful of what you chew and how you treat that tooth. Sure, the resin is sturdy, but nothing like the hardness of the original enamel.
A Happy Ending
It’s easy to get upset when you crack a tooth. No one wants a damaged smile. Fortunately, dental bonding is here to rescue you!
What once seemed like the end of the world, can now be fixed with a quick, inexpensive procedure!
If you’d like to talk more about scheduling an appointment, just reach out at anytime. We’d love to hear from you!
What other topics or tooth concerns do you have? Let us know in the comments below!
