It's not
unusual to feel shy about smiling if your teeth aren't everything you
would like them to be. Stained teeth might inhibit you from smiling as
often or as big as you normally would. Chipped teeth and gapped teeth
can have a similar effect. But with a little dental bonding, you can
start smiling again with confidence.
Dental bonding is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to make cosmetic improvements to your teeth.
During a bonding procedure, a tooth-colored resin, or
plastic, is bonded to your tooth with an ultraviolet "curing" light.
Unlike veneers and crowns, which are sometimes used to make similar
improvements, a bonding procedure usually takes just 30-60 minutes per
tooth and is often complete in just one dental visit. Another advantage
of dental bonding: It requires less prep work than veneers or crowns, so
more of your tooth enamel remains intact.
Bonding can even be used to replace existing amalgam
(silver) fillings with natural-looking composites. It’s also ideal for
treating cavities in the front teeth, where aesthetics are especially
important.
Keep in mind that dental bonding isn’t the cure-all for
every tooth defect. Bonding doesn’t work well on back teeth or larger
cavities. But for the smaller changes, bonding can have a huge impact on
the way you feel about your smile.
