You may have read about how veneers last longer than composite, or that amalgam is more durable than composite bonding. There are many cases where a composite bonding has lasted for more than five and even up to ten years. You can rest easy if you are capable of maintaining regular dental hygiene, as any procedure that can clean regular teeth at home can be applied to bonded teeth.
However, composite bonding does have a weakness when it comes to stains and discolouration. It cannot be whitened in professional teeth whitening sessions as the chemical reaction necessary to clean the surface of teeth does not take place on composite.
Despite its many advantages, composite bonding isn’t the best solution in the world, and there are always other alternatives you could look for that end up more expensive, but last longer.
If you are not looking for fast treatment and have time and money to spare, consider other options with consultation from your dentist.
Dental Bonding doesn’t need complicated preparation
One of the reasons that have made composite bonding an affordable treatment is its lack of complications, which includes no prep time. There are no restrictions before you visit the office for the treatment, and apart from having to clean the area before bonding, there isn’t any specific procedure that needs to take place before composite is applied to your teeth.
That means there is no added cost for anaesthetics because the process is effectively painless and it doesn’t even include heating the bonding material before applying it to the teeth.
If your teeth have signs of decay, and your dentist confirms it, the process becomes a bit more complicated. If the decayed part isn’t removed, bonding over it would not make a difference, as the decay would find its way to the enamel. Soon enough, internal decay will cause so much pain that you may have to remove the tooth altogether.
In such cases, the dentist will file down on the decay, and use the bonding composite to cover up the exposed enamel if the surface of the tooth is worn out.
Issues commonly associated with composite dental bonding
While we have explained in length the advantages of composite bonding, it would not be fair to our readers if we ignored the most frequent complaints we have received from patients after a few months:
- Staining and change in shade – while porcelain is rather immune to any stain from coffee or food colouring, and even heat, composite is not so lucky. Just like your real teeth, and in some cases even more so, dental bonding can get stained. The issue is, you can’t rely on regular teeth whitening procedures to deal with the stains. The best chance of removing stains from bonded teeth is filing down on the resin and using an extra layer to cover it again.
- It’s not easy to match with natural teeth – while we all want a natural shade of white for our smile, getting the perfect shade of resin that fits in with your other teeth is nearly impossible in some cases. This is especially an issue with patients whose natural teeth have a bit of a yellow shade. it takes a dental expert with artistic talent to match the shades perfectly. Luckily, we have dedicated dentists in Chatfield that can offer the most natural shade of composite dental bonding in London.
- It can fall off or shatter – as we discussed, composite isn’t as tough as other filling material porcelain or amalgam, and you need to take extra care when it comes to physical damage. A wrong bite can shatter your composite bonding
- Less than premium durability – even if you avoid the issues we introduced, the overall durability of dental bonding isn’t expected to surpass five years. While there have been cases of composite remaining unchanged for the most part, most cases need reshaping every year.
What do I have to do after dental bonding?
A session of composite bonding usually takes less than an hour. Afterwards, your dentist will give you a run-down of possible issues you might face in the first week of treatment, and recommend a series of dietary restrictions until your composite bonding has become solid enough. Eventually, a composite filling is not as sturdy as your regular teeth, so you will have to be more careful going forward.
You may need to let go of certain habits, which are not good for your teeth anyway. These include smoking, drinking hot and cold beverages or foods in sequence, which can shatter the bond between the composite and your teeth.
It is recommended to brush the bonding with a soft bristle toothbrush and using regular toothpaste, and take extra care when flossing against the composite-fused teeth. A twist of floss string in the wrong direction can detach the bonding.
If the bonding falls off or is malformed because of pressure over time, contact your dentist and ask for a restoration session.
Is dental bonding a fiscally responsible treatment?
Compared to most other solutions for minor and mild cosmetic issues, dental bonding is a great way to get a more aligned and elegant smile in practically no time. The effects in cosmetic use are instant, which is a huge advantage when compared to other minor realignment therapies.
For remedial work, dental bonding offers simple solutions, that may be more sought after for emergency treatments. For example, when you don’t have time to receive more time-consuming treatments, bonding can be a last-minute fix, until you have time or access to better dental care.
In addition, some dental procedures are very costly, and while you may be saving up for them, it’s not wise to leave your teeth untreated. Dental bonding can provide a temporary fix for your issue.
Whatever the case, Chatfield Braces Clinic is always happy to provide its services and treatment. We have some of the best dental professionals offering affordable composite bonding in London.