Bonding is now being used as a relatively affordable technique to repair tooth damage and correct cosmetic flaws.  The procedure only takes 30 to 60 minutes per tooth, although you might need more than one session if you're having it done on more than one tooth.  And best of all, dental bonding is usually painless.  Unless you're having a cavity filled by dental bonding, there's no need for anesthesia.

The Dental Bonding Procedure

Dental bonding involves the bonding of a layer of adhesive, tooth-colored composite resin (a fairly durable plastic material) onto the surface of a tooth.  In some ways, the dental bonding process turns your dentist into an oral sculptor, with the putty-like composite resin being analogous to sculptor's clay.  The bonding material is available in many different shades, so your dentist will select a color which matches your other teeth. 

Before the composite resin is applied, your dentist will roughen the surface of the tooth with a mild etching solution.  A second, conditioning solution is then applied to the etched surface to help the composite resin adhere to the tooth.  Once the tooth is prepared, a layer of composite resin is applied and shaped, then hardened with a laser or ultraviolet light and finely polished to match the surrounding teeth. 

Uses for Dental Bonding

Although bonding is often performed for cosmetic reasons such as closing up minor gaps, reshaping a tooth or lightening a tooth discoloration, the composite resin can also be used to repair chips, cracks and other damage or to improve the structural integrity of a tooth.  Bonding can also be used to improve uneven teeth and in cases involving tooth decay or gum recession. 

The Advantages of Dental Bonding

• Price: Of all the available cosmetic dental procedures, dental bonding is one of the easiest and least expensive. Although the price will vary depending on your location, your particular dentist and the complexity of the procedure, in general, dental bonding costs average between $300 and $600 per tooth. In many cases, dental insurance will cover at least part of the cost, especially when the bonding is performed to improve the structural integrity of a tooth.
• Speed: Dental bonding is typically done during a single appointment and often takes less than 60 minutes per tooth (you might need more than one appointment if more than one tooth is involved). In contrast, dental appliances such as crowns and veneers must be fabricated in a dental lab, making those procedures more time-consuming and expensive.
• Anesthesia Generally Not Needed: Dental bonding is essentially pain-free unless the bonding is being performed to fill a cavity.
• Aesthetics: Composite resin is tooth-colored and provides a more appealing appearance than dental amalgam when used to fill a cavity. Similarly, it blends in with the surrounding teeth when used to fill chips, cracks and gaps.
• Additional Structural Support for the Tooth: The composite resin bonds directly to the tooth and provides additional structural support.

The Disadvantages of Dental Bonding

• Limited Lifespan: The composite resin used in dental bonding is not as durable as the materials used for other restorative procedures such as veneers, crowns or amalgam fillings. Dental bonding typically lasts between three and ten years, depending on the quality of your oral hygiene routine and the type of bonding involved. After that it will need to be replaced (or at least touched up).
• More Fragile than Other Materials: Bonding is not as strong as crowns, fillings or veneers, and the composite resin can chip or completely break off the treated tooth.

Prone to Staining and Discoloration:  Composite resin is moderately stain resistant, but it is more likely to stain than a cap or crown.  It also tends to become discolored in patients who smoke.  If you're a smoker, you need to be aware that because the composite resin is porous, it will yellow if you continue to smoke.

A Few Tips Regarding Dental Bonding

• Avoid food and beverages that could stain your dental bonding for at least the first 48 hours after your procedure, because composite resin is particularly susceptible to staining during this initial period. Coffee, tea and blueberries are common culprits to stay away from.
• Your dental bonding should last several years if you practice an effective oral hygiene routine.
• Composite resin can chip, so avoid biting your fingernails, crunching ice cubes, and chewing on pens or pencils.