Many people have nearly-perfect teeth, but feel that one or more small blemishes prevent them from total happiness with their smiles. That discontent can prevent them from smiling as often and as brightly as they otherwise would, preventing them from enjoying the many benefits of a smiling demeanor. Luckily, you don’t have to go to drastic lengths to noticeably improve your smile. With cosmetic dental bonding, your dentist can help you fix minor tooth imperfections without a major dental procedure.

Defining Dental Bonding

Dental bonding involves composite-resin (a durable dental plastic material) that is bonded to your afflicted tooth and sculpted to its desired shape. As an alternative to more invasive (and more expensive) porcelain veneers, dental bonding is a restorative cosmetic procedure that can correct different blemishes by changing the shape, color, and size of your tooth.

How to Place Dental Bonding

Before placing bonding material, your tooth must first be prepared. This is done by lightly etching the surface, making it rougher and more accepting of the bonding material. Your dentist will use a shade guide to match the resin’s color with the color of the rest of your teeth, ensuring a discreet and attractive finish.

After the tooth’s surface is prepared, the resin is applied and molded to match the desired shape of the tooth. A special curing light (ultraviolet light) will harden the material, and you dentist will further trim, shape, and polish the bonding until it effectively completes your smile.