Dental bonding in Bowmanville is a popular treatment that can help fix minor imperfections or problems in teeth. These include small chips or cracks, tooth discolouration, or closing or minimizing the size of unsightly gaps between teeth.
What Is Dental Bonding?
The procedure uses tooth-coloured composite resin and is quick and cost-effective. It can normally be completed during a single visit to West Bowmanville Family Dental. The composite resin is applied directly to your tooth surfaces where it bonds strongly with your natural tooth. The resin is hardened with light before it is shaped and polished, completing your treatment. Composite resin comes in a huge range of shades, so our skilled cosmetic dentists in Clarington can perfectly match your dental bonding to your natural tooth colour.
The overall result can subtly improve the appearance of your smile affordably. However, although dental bonding should look good for several years to come, it will not last forever and will eventually need replacing. Below are some tips to help prolong its life.
Practice Good Oral Care
Good oral hygiene is essential to maintain a strong and healthy smile, so you must brush all your teeth thoroughly, including those that have been bonded. Toothbrushing should be completed at least twice a day. Don’t forget to floss daily to remove plaque and food debris from between your teeth and around them, including around your dental bonding.
Ensure you visit us every six months for a professional dental cleaning in Courtice. This is great for maintaining strong and healthy teeth as it removes all plaque and tartar buildup, and your teeth are gently polished to give them added sparkle. Afterwards, they should look and feel super smooth, clean and fresh, and you will have beautifully fresh breath.
Quit Smoking
If you smoke, then you will already know there are numerous reasons to quit and protecting your dental bonding is just another. The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products can stain composite resin, discolouring it more quickly. Quitting smoking will slow down discolouration and benefit your dental health enormously. If you need help, contact your GP for advice.
Limit Your Consumption of Highly Coloured Foods and Drinks
Composite resin will become stained over time, especially if you eat and drink a lot of highly coloured foods and beverages. These include tea and coffee, red wine, berries and tomato-based sauces. Quitting these foods and beverages entirely may be impractical, but try to limit your consumption. When you have them, get into the habit of rinsing your mouth with plain water afterwards.
Treat Your Dental Bonding Gently
Composite resin is pretty strong, but you must treat teeth gently after this procedure. Avoid biting your nails, chewing on pens or pencils, or chomping on ice cubes. Above all, don’t use your teeth as tools. As a general rule, if a habit could damage your natural teeth, then there is every chance it will break your dental bonding.
Who Can Have Dental Bonding?
If you have teeth with minor chips or cracks or if they are too small or not quite the right shape, dental bonding could help you. However, the damage does need to be minimal, as composite resin is not meant to mend more serious issues.
It might not be the best choice when a tooth is more severely damaged and needs greater protection, for example, full coverage with a dental crown. Dental bonding may be less suitable for anyone who clenches and grinds their teeth, as this habit could easily chip or crack the bonding.
