Tooth bonding explained

There are many dental treatments available at NHS dental centres and cosmetic dentistry clinics that help to rectify the health of your teeth and aim to achieve a healthy smile.
One of the methods employed by cosmetic dentists to correct minor chips in your teeth or minor gaps between teeth or to subtly change their shape is cosmetic tooth bonding.

What is cosmetic tooth bonding?
Tooth Bonding is a dental procedure that involves applying an enamel-type material or composite resin to your tooth. It is effective in repairing teeth with small chips, fractures and other minor imperfections.

Is it similar to veneers?
No, unlike veneers which are manufactured in a laboratory , require the removal of a small amount of tooth structure for bonding purposes and a customised mould for a correct fit , bonding is carried out in a single visit to a cosmetic dentist.

What is tooth bonding used for?
Tooth Bonding is an inexpensive and straightforward cosmetic dental treatment. It is used to shape, alter and remould the affected tooth in order to improve its appearance to achieve a more pleasing smile.

Is there any preparation involved?
There is no preparation required for tooth bonding treatment.

How is bonding done?
Your cosmetic dentist will first match the shade of your tooth to a shade guide, to select the right colour of composite resin for you. Then he will slightly etch the tooth’s surface, making it rough so he can apply the tooth-coloured resin. The resin is then smoothed and moulded until the tooth’s correct shape is achieved. When the resin hardens, the dentist will further shape and polish it until it perfectly matches the rest of the tooth .