How Does Cosmetic Dental Bonding Help With Chipped Or Cracked Teeth?

Cosmetic dental bonding helps with different dental issues, including decayed or damaged teeth, discoloration, or Microdontia (small teeth). When you’re interested in this dental service, schedule a dental exam with Dr. Ty Eriks to determine if you’re a good candidate. He will evaluate your teeth and gums to detect any existing dental problems that must be resolved before any cosmetic dentistry procedure is performed.

A cosmetic dentist uses bonding to correct minor cosmetic flaws and restore teeth quickly. It is natural-looking and can be done in a matter of minutes. It can be done as a standalone dental procedure or in combination with others during a smile makeover.

Reasons to Consider Cosmetic Dental Bonding

There are four main reasons to consider cosmetic dental bonding for your smile:

1. Quick results: Dental bonding is a quick procedure that allows you to improve how your smile looks quickly. It can be done in just one visit.
2. Affordable: Cosmic dental bonding is more affordable than other comparable procedures like dental implants. It’s cost-effective because it doesn’t require anesthesia.
3. Noninvasive: Because there is minimal preparation needed for your teeth, it leaves more of your enamel intact. Dr. Eriks will only scrape away a small portion of the tooth’s surface before applying the bonding material. This creates a rough surface that allows the bonding material to adhere well.
4. Natural-looking: One of the biggest benefits of cosmetic dental bonding is that the composite resin looks and feels like a natural tooth. This means that you can chew and bite normally, and your smile looks natural.

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Bonding?

Before any dental treatment begins, a full dental exam is performed to determine if you’re a good candidate. For patients looking to address minor cosmetic flaws, it is a great option.

You’re a great candidate for cosmetic dental bonding if you have:

• Cracked or chipped teeth
• Discoloration
• Slight gaps or uneven teeth
• Irregular tooth shape or tooth length
• Minor tooth decay
• Healthy gums and teeth

The best candidate for bonding will have realistic expectations for what bonding can do as opposed to veneers, dental implants, or crowns. They will also be committed to their oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly.

How Cosmetic Dental Bonding is Performed

Cosmetic dental bonding is usually completed in just one visit. Anesthesia isn’t needed, making it noninvasive. Once you’re ready to begin, Dr. Eriks will apply composite resin to the surface of the patient’s teeth to match their existing color as closely as possible. After its application, it is cured with a UV light so that it hardens. He may use many layers to make the proper corrections to the tooth or teeth. Lastly, it is polished to look natural.

What is Recovery Like After Tooth Bonding?

After bonding, avoid consuming any stain-causing foods or beverages, like red sauce, coffee, or tea, for at least 48 hours. Also, the composite resin can chip and stain, so don’t bite on hard objects like ice or hard candy. Brush your teeth as soon as possible after every meal.

Biannual teeth cleanings help polish away stains from the composite resin on the teeth that were treated. Your restoration can last for years with an effective at-home oral hygiene routine. At your annual dental exam, we can monitor how your restoration is lasting and determine when it’s time to perform another procedure to maintain your smile results.

How Does Bonding Differ From Veneers?

Veneers cover the front of a tooth, while cosmetic dental bonding only fills different areas, such as chips or cavities, with a soft composite resin material. Bonding doesn’t require the same preparation and maintenance that porcelain veneers do. Veneers are also irreversible, while bonding can be reshaped and changed over time if necessary.

FAQs About Cosmetic Dental Bonding

1. Will insurance cover cosmetic dental bonding for chipped teeth?

Since dental bonding is an elective procedure, it isn’t usually covered by insurance. Our dental team can contact yours to double-check your existing coverage. During your consultation, we can provide you with a cost estimate and discuss the payment options we accept at our Fort Lauderdale location.

2. How long does bonding last?

It’s a minimally invasive way to address tooth flaws, but it may not last as long as other procedures like crowns. However, with good hygiene and care, dental bonding can last up to ten years. It’s important to understand that the composite resin in the bonding material is more prone to staining than porcelain, which is used with veneers.

3. Is dental bonding safe?

Dental bonding doesn’t pose any major risk to our patients. The composite resin used with this procedure isn’t as strong as your natural teeth, so it may chip or separate from your tooth. Ultimately, dental bonding is a quick, easy, and safe way to improve how your teeth look.

Cosmetic Dental Bonding In Fort Lauderdale

At Eriks Dental Group, we help our patients in and around Fort Lauderdale to easily correct their chipped or cracked teeth. When you want to resolve minor smile flaws, contact our dental office to schedule an appointment to learn more about cosmetic dental bonding.

Dr. Eriks is experienced in cosmetic dentistry and can restore any flaws easily to help you achieve a beautiful, natural-looking smile. To schedule an appointment, call 954-463-5051 or request an appointment online.