Bonding

Dental Bonding is an affordable, efficient, and conservative solution that fixes numerous dental issues like decayed, worn teeth, misshapen and chipped teeth. With the help of Dental Bonding, you can fix your dental concerns and get that much-needed smile you have always wanted – without emptying your pockets!

Both bonding and veneers are considered cosmetic dental procedures that improve the appearance of the teeth and smile and help close spaces between teeth. Both procedures are capable of correcting imperfections in your dental formula, but there are differences in the materials used, techniques and cost. Veneers are strong and can rebuild your teeth from common conditions such as teeth grinding and missing teeth.

Veneers are essentially thin porcelain shells that are placed on the surface of the tooth in the same way artificial fingernails are placed over natural ones to slightly change the shape of the tooth. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) describes the function of veneers as that of hiding stained, misshapen and crooked teeth as well as covering up spaces between teeth to get the teeth looking as natural and healthy as possible. The actual procedure begins by your dentist reshaping the affected teeth. Some enamel may be removed to create room for the thin porcelain veneers. Next, a molded image of your teeth is submitted to a digital lab where custom veneers are made just for you. Once the veneers have been molded, they are applied on to the affected tooths surface with adhesive. The entire process of getting veneers is said to take several weeks and approximately 3 dental visits.

Veneers are made to fit perfectly into your existing teeth. This makes them nearly impossible to detect, reports the AACD. Kimberly Harms DDS, a dentist and consumer adviser for the ADA (American Dental Association) says that, “Porcelain veneers are also color matched, allowing them to look exactly like your natural teeth”. Also, veneers do not stain or discolor over time. Veneers are not easily stained by smoking (tar), coffee, tea and wine, says Harms. The major disadvantage of dental veneers is their high cost. In 2010, the veneers cost stood between $800 and $2000 per tooth. The cost of veneers may vary depending on your choice of dentist and geographical location.

Dental bonding is described by the Academy of General Dentistry as a procedure that entails using a tooth colored composite resin to cover tooth imperfections. The composite resin is custom-made to match the color of your natural teeth. Dental professionals apply the resin freehand. Dr. Harms notes that, “Bonding is like putty which means it can be shaped and molded to fix imperfections, but dental bonding does is not translucent in nature like veneers”. Dental bonding main objective is to fix short, discolored and chipped teeth in order to give them a better appearance, says the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Dental bonding can also be employed in cases where teeth roots have been exposed when gums recede. The affected teeth require minimal or no preparation for the procedure to take place, says Harms.

Tooth bonding is less expensive as well as faster and easier to perform than veneers. The bonding procedure only requires a single visit to the dentist. Statistical figures from 2010 show that the average dental bonding cost was between $200 and $700 per tooth. The cost may vary depending on the choice of dentist and geographical location. Unlike veneers, bonded teeth can be stained by smoking (tar), coffee, tea and wine. The staining can begin soon after the procedure has been done. Also, dental bonding is not effective in fixing an entire smile. “Bonding is best suited for fixing small imperfections such as chips or cracks.” Both procedures are considered to be forms of cosmetic dentistry.

Both dental bonding and veneers do not have the same strength and durability as your natural teeth so it is important to take special care of them. Because of this, the AACD recommends that you refrain from chewing on hard objects, opening things with your teeth and biting on your nails. “This can result in the bonding or veneers chipping or falling off,” says Harms. The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine also notes that there is no need to change how you are flossing or brushing your teeth. Harms says that with proper maintenance, bonding can last between 2 and 5 years while veneers can last 15 years or more. Call your dentist to book an appointment for your smile makeovers today!