Dental Bonding

What Is Dental Bonding?

Bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin that your dentist sculpts directly onto your tooth, shapes and polishes. It's matched to the shade of your natural teeth, so the repair blends right in. Because it's done in the chair, there's no waiting for a lab and usually little or no removal of natural tooth.

What Bonding Can Fix

• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Small gaps between teeth
• Stains or spots that whitening can't remove
• Teeth that are slightly short or uneven
• Exposed roots from gum recession

What to Expect

1. Shade matching. We choose a resin color that matches your teeth.
2. Preparing the tooth. The surface is lightly roughened and conditioned so the bonding sticks firmly.
3. Sculpting. The resin is applied, shaped and smoothed to the ideal form.
4. Hardening and polishing. A special light hardens the resin, then we polish it to a natural shine.

Most teeth take 30 to 60 minutes, and you can eat normally right away.

Bonding vs. Veneers

Bonding is faster, more affordable and requires little or no tooth preparation, which makes it great for small repairs. Porcelain veneers cost more, but they resist stains better and last longer, making them a better choice for bigger changes to several teeth.

Bonding FAQs

How long does bonding last?

Typically 5 to 10 years, depending on where it is and your habits. It can be touched up or replaced easily.

Does bonding stain?

Composite can pick up stains from coffee, tea, wine and tobacco over time. Regular cleanings help keep it bright.

Does it hurt?

Usually not. Most bonding doesn't require numbing unless we're also repairing decay.

Is bonding covered by insurance?

If it repairs damage, it may be partly covered. Purely cosmetic bonding usually isn't. We'll check for you.