To use your teeth is to wear them down. Even if you never left home and lived purely on tofu and butterhead lettuce, the chances are, your teeth would experience a few chips, nicks or at least the odd stain. Be it just a touch up or a more extensive repair, composite bonding is able to provide pretty effective tooth repair in the majority of cases.

What is cosmetic bonding?

It is a technique that has been in use in dentistry for quite some time. It involves the skilled and artistic use of ‘dental composite’ material. A substance with consistency similar to paste which is made from a variety of resins and fillers.

The procedure

Typically, a cosmetic bonding procedure will only require one trip to a dental practice. The majority of the time, you won’t even need an anaesthetic! Once it has been determined if an anaesthetic will be used, the tooth where the composite material is to be applied will be meticulously cleaned. The composite material requires a clean surface with which to bond to. Once a matching shade of material to your tooth colour has been selected, your tooth will then either be surrounded by cotton rolls or a rubber dam to keep it dry. Your tooth’s surface will then be etched with a special phosphoric-acid-based gel as this will help the composite material bond to the tooth. The composite material is then put on to your tooth and then your tooth is exposed to a special light which will set off the composite so that it will toughen and set. More composite material will then by applied, in smaller increments, until the desired shape and look is achieved.

A word of warning

Cosmetic bonding is as much an art as science. Any cosmetic dentists can claim to be an expert in cosmetic bonding but, as a procedure, it requires a unique skill set which is quite different to those involved in other procedures. We recommend you check out our years of experience in the field and book a consultation at Harley Street Dental Studio in the city of London!