Tooth Bonding
San Diego, California
Dental bonding is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures. It's used to correct a wide variety of small tooth problems, such as cracks, gaps, discoloration and chips. In fact, almost all minor dental problems can be at least helped by dental bonding.
What is dental bonding? It's a tooth-colored composite similar to putty in its consistency. It can be molded and tweaked into any shape. An experienced cosmetic dentist can apply it in increments, to fill in the small gaps or chips, or to cover stains or spots, or to slightly alter the shape or size of a tooth so that it better matches its neighbors. Bonding comes in a variety of shades, so we can choose one that matches your natural tooth color.
A curing light used
When applied, bonding is soft and malleable. So once the right amount has been applied and has been correctly shaped, a curing light is used to quickly harden it. Then it looks like the tooth it’s repairing, although it lacks the subtle sheen of dental porcelain. But it makes an excellent and quick repair, and is popular for that reason.
Unlike some other cosmetic dental procedures, bonding does not need a mold to be made first. It is done in one office visit and is painless, quick and relatively inexpensive. No anesthetic is needed because no deep work is done on the tooth, just surface work which does not affect the tooth’s nerve.
A note on the term bonding
Confusion sometimes arises because this word is used to refer to three things:
- The bonding procedure, as just described
- The substance used to do it
- The cementing of a restoration to a tooth, as with a crown or veneers. A thinner type of bonding is used for this purpose.
You can learn more on our Dental Bonding Questions page.
We serve the entire San Diego, California area. We would be glad to arrange a personal consultation for you, so please call or email us any time. We look forward to serving you.
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The Dentist that Makes You Smile!
3830 Valley Center Drive, Suite 702
San Diego, CA 92130
