Dental Bonding – Cosmetic Bonding

What is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is an effective way to improve your smile in a variety of situations. The bonding material is a tooth-colored composite resin that we shape to replicate your natural teeth — right down to the look, color, and bite.

While bonding has similar goals to veneers, there are some key differences between the two treatments: 

• Bonding can be done in a single office visit, while veneers may take several. This makes bonding an ideal convenient solution for your situation.
• Bonding is much more cost-effective than veneers.
• Less of your tooth surface is removed during a bonding treatment, meaning the process is less invasive.
• Bonding may stain over time, while veneers are more resistant.
• Bonding is not as durable as veneers, so you may be back to maintain your smile sooner.

We will help you determine if the benefits of bonding are right for your particular case.

When is Bonding Used?

Bonding can be used to address many different dental cases, such as:

• Chipped tooth: Whether from an accident or from grinding your teeth at night, dental bonding can help repair a chipped or broken tooth.
• Cavity filling: Especially when decay occurs on the front teeth that are visible when you smile, bonding may be a good option to fill the cavity that occurs. Cavities that need larger treatments than fillings but perhaps not as extensive as a crown may benefit from bonding.
• Protecting the tooth root: If your sensitive tooth root is exposed due to gum disease or other issues, bonding may help protect it and reduce the sensitivity of your teeth.
• Tooth discoloration: Bonding can be a viable option to treat stained teeth that do not respond to regular tooth whitening treatments.

What is the Bonding Process Like?

Dental bonding is convenient, safe, and completely comfortable. You will not need local anesthetic unless we need to remove a larger portion of decay or tooth surface.

During the dental bonding process, we will use a tooth-colored composite resin toned to blend in perfectly with your existing smile. After we apply the material, we will shape it to correct your personal issue. Once shaped perfectly, we use a light to harden the resin and adhere it to the surface of your tooth. The final step will be ensuring it works well with your bite, smile, and level of comfort through small adjustments to its shape.

Don’t be surprised if your friends and loved ones won’t be able to tell the difference between your bonded tooth and your natural smile. The only difference you will be able to notice yourself is an improvement to your oral health — and a positive impact on your self-confidence.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Bonding?

Dental insurance coverage varies greatly from person to person. While some carriers may consider bonding to be essential to maintaining your oral health and offer some coverage, other carriers consider the treatment to fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry. 

The best thing to do is to call the team at Anthony Dental Care, Centerburg at 740-480-8162. We can contact your provider to give you an estimate for the bonding treatment we recommend.