Dental bonding is where Dr David Brown, or another of our dentists at our Leeds surgery, will apply composite resin to an existing tooth. It can be a very conservative and cost-effective way of masking stains, or it can be used to help makeover your smile. It is an alternative, and less expensive option than porcelain veneers. Dental bonding can be used to:

• Mask teeth that have become discoloured
• Create a more aesthetically pleasing contour to teeth
• Repair teeth that have become worn, cracked or chipped
• Replace stained fillings
• Mask stains caused by antibiotics such as tetracycline
• Straighten up teeth that are slightly crooked

This versatile treatment is ideal for anyone who wants to rejuvenate their smile within a short space of time, without having to spend a fortune. It is best for someone who isn’t a heavy smoker, or who likes to drink a lot of coffee, tea or red wine as composite resin does stain after a few years. The advantage of this treatment is its conservativeness, and it might be possible for it to be completed in just one visit to Leeds City Dentalcare. It’s an excellent way of giving teeth a better shape, as they can be cosmetically recontoured which involves removing a minimal amount of tooth material, before being bonded.

How is Dental Bonding Done?

The process for dental bonding is very quick and easy. It simply involves your tooth enamel being lightly etched as this will allow for better and stronger bonding with the composite resin. Dentist Leeds will select the correct coloured composite resin to exactly match your existing teeth. The resin is carefully applied to your teeth before being shaped and hardened with a special curing light. This helps it to bond to the tooth. Afterwards the composite resin will be contoured and polished so it will look just like natural tooth enamel.

Taking Care of Your Newly Bonded Teeth

After you’ve had your teeth bonded you’ll need to take good care of them to make the results last as long as possible. This means you should try not to chew or bite your fingernails, and you shouldn’t bite ice cubes. If you have bruxism or teeth grinding then make sure you use a night guard as otherwise you could damage your new bonding. It can also pay to avoid biting into very hard foods such as boiled sweets and nuts and very crisp apples.

If you have had an extensive amount of bonding done then you may want to eat soft foods for the first day or so until you’re sure your bite is absolutely perfect. Sometimes it may need slight modifications for it to be ideal. You’ll also need to take excellent care of your oral health, which of course all of us here at Leeds City Dentalcare hope you’re doing anyway. You should be brushing at least twice daily to remove plaque, and flossing at least once a day. When you floss pull it out horizontally rather than vertically to avoid placing any stress on your bonding.

Composite resin does stain after a few years but you can help make the effects of your bonding lasts longer by minimising your consumption of food and drink that could increase staining. This includes cutting down on coffee, tea and red wine, and other highly coloured foods such as curries and tomato based sauces.