Transform Your Smile with Composite Bonding

Composite bonding uses the same tooth-coloured material that is used for dental fillings. But instead of repairing holes in your teeth, it is used to repair imperfections in your smile.

In this guide, we will explore the role of composite bonding in modern dentistry and how you can use this treatment to achieve your dream smile. If you’re curious to learn if this treatment could help you, we encourage you to book a consultation with our team.

What is composite bonding?

Composite bonding is a minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry procedure. It is used to change the appearance of your smile and can also provide protection for chipped teeth or areas where the enamel is thinning.

Composite resin is a tooth-coloured material that is soft when it is first mixed. It can be perfectly matched to the colour of your surrounding teeth, or it can be made to appear whiter than your natural teeth.

The resin is placed directly on the tooth and then moulded like a putty. It requires great skill to shape the material to make sure that it looks natural and allows the tooth to function correctly. Once the right shape has been made, the resin is cured using UV light.

Curing turns the soft material into solid and then it can be polished and have the finishing touches applied. The entire procedure is very quick and completed in just one visit. Compare this to veneers or crowns, which will take multiple long visits to achieve similar results.

Who is an ideal candidate for this treatment?

To be a good candidate for composite bonding, you need to have minor imperfections, usually only affecting a few teeth. There are composite veneers available for a more extensive restoration, but this treatment is more expensive and takes longer.

You also need to be able to follow the aftercare instructions. Composite resin is not as strong as porcelain veneers or crowns, so you will need to be aware of this when you are eating. Certain foods may become off-limits, such as hard bread and pizza crust. You will also need to be careful when eating things like chewy sweets. And finally, crunching ice can also risk chipping or cracking the composite resin.

Composite bonding is also a temporary fix. It doesn’t last as long as other treatments like veneers. The composite resin will wear down over time and you can expect to see it start to deteriorate after 5-10 years. After this time, you will either need to replace the composite bonding or opt for another restoration such as veneers.

What can composite bonding fix?

Composite bonding is suitable for a wide range of small cosmetic imperfections, including:

• Chips and cracks

• Uneven teeth edges

• Thinning enamel

• Crooked and rotated teeth

• Discolouration and staining

• Small gaps

The biggest appeal of this treatment plan is the opportunity to fix the small imperfections that are damaging your confidence. For example, if you have one slightly rotated tooth, you don’t have to go through months of orthodontics to fix it, you can just address a single tooth with composite bonding.

What can composite bonding not fix?

Composite bonding is versatile, but it can’t fix everything. For example, if you have large gaps in your smile, then a veneer or bridge might be a better treatment option. It’s also not a suitable treatment plan to address problems with your bite. If you are experiencing problems with your bite, orthodontics would be a better treatment option.

If the underlying tooth structure is extensively damaged by trauma or decay, there might not be enough tooth material to build on. In this instance, a crown, veneer or dental implant might be a better treatment plan.

It’s also not a good idea to use composite bonding for severely crooked teeth. This is because the amount of material required will make the tooth feel very bulky, and this could impact your bite.

And finally, if you grind your teeth at night, you are unlikely to be offered composite bonding. This is because the risk that you will damage the composite material in your sleep is too high. You may need to wear a gumshield at night to help prevent further damage to your teeth. You could then explore treatments like veneers, as these are more durable than composite bonding.

Treatments to try alongside composite bonding

Composite bonding alone can achieve incredible transformations, but it is also highly effective alongside other cosmetic treatments. These are some of your favourite treatment combinations to achieve incredible results:

Teeth whitening: When paired with teeth whitening, you can lighten the shade of your natural teeth and then apply composite bonding to individual teeth and match it to the lighter shade. We recommend starting with teeth whitening as this will allow us to colour-match the shade correctly.

Orthodontics: At the end of orthodontic treatment, your teeth will be perfectly aligned, but this can reveal imperfections in the shape of your teeth. Perhaps the ends are chipped or thinning enamel makes them appear grey in colour at the ends. Composite bonding can help to put the finishing touches on your smile.

Crowns: Pairing composite bonding with crowns can help to address minor and major imperfections at once. This could mean building up a tooth that has been heavily damaged by decay, and then addressing discolouration in the surrounding teeth, as this is often difficult to correct with teeth whitening.

How can Longfellow Road Dental help?

If you’re ready to explore composite bonding and other restoration options, get in touch with our team today. We can help you to understand the options available and choose the treatment plan that is right for you. It all starts with a consultation to better understand your needs.