Composite bonding is the most versatile and cost effective way to aesthetically restore your smile. Composite materials are used to restore decayed tooth structure, replace old unattractive fillings, change the color of your teeth, or reshape and recontour a less than ideal smile. Composite resin is a tooth-colored plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide). Composite fillings have a slightly higher rate of wear than your traditional silver fillings.
Most procedures take as little as 10 to 15 minutes per tooth, depending on how complicated your particular treatment may be. At your actual bonding appointment, we will apply a conditioning agent and an adhesive to the remaining clean prepared tooth structure so the composite will adhere to it. Next, we apply several layers of the bonding "composite" material onto the tooth, then use a light source to set the material. The last step is shaping, smoothing, and polishing the surfaces. As with your natural teeth, cosmetically bonded teeth may chip or stain. A bonded restoration should last several years or more before requiring a touch-up or replacement. The procedure is painless and quick enough to be completed in one visit. |
