Dental Bonding

As the name suggests, bonding involves the application of a filling material bonded to the tooth structure. The increased preference for bonding along with laminate veneers in recent years is partly due to greater awareness among individuals with aesthetic concerns about their teeth. In the past, individuals with aesthetic issues tended to prefer crowns, but as the importance of preserving healthy tooth structure has been recognized, treatments like bonding and laminate veneers have become more popular.

Bonding offers a suitable treatment option for individuals with small gaps between their teeth, minor fractures on the tooth surfaces, teeth that are smaller than normal with surrounding gaps, or those who desire whiter teeth but have not achieved satisfactory results from whitening procedures.

Advantages of Bonding Treatment

• Closes gaps up to three millimeters: It can easily close gaps in cases where the spaces between the teeth do not exceed three millimeters.
• No tooth reduction: Preferred by individuals with aesthetic problems who do not want to undergo tooth reduction.
• Previews for other treatments: Provides a solution for those considering laminate veneer or zirconium but unsure about the final appearance.
• Whiter teeth: Allows for a whiter tooth appearance.
• Repairs minor damages: Easily used for cases with small fractures or cracks in the teeth.
• Less staining: Bonding applications stain less than natural teeth.
• Cost-effective: More affordable compared to laminate veneer and zirconium coatings.
• Quick procedure: Faster to apply compared to laminate veneer and zirconium coatings.
• Re-applicable: Can be applied multiple times since it does not damage the tooth surface.

Disadvantages of Bonding Treatment

• More fragile: The filling materials used are directly applied to the tooth surface and are more fragile compared to porcelain veneers which undergo a firing process.
• Stains more than veneers: Although they stain less than natural teeth, they stain more than laminate veneers as the polishing process is done with rubber wheels.
• Shorter lifespan: The lifespan is shorter compared to laminate veneers.

Procedure Process

The procedure does not require any special preparation. First, the patient and dentist decide on the color of the bonding material. The tooth surfaces are roughened to ensure good adhesion of the filling material, and then the bonding procedure is applied. Generally, the bonding process takes about half an hour per tooth. Since no reduction of the tooth surface is performed, bonding is not a painful procedure. The lifespan of bonding is approximately two years. After two years, it may need polishing or renewal.