Dental Bonding

This is an extreme case of gum recession and root exposure repaired with bonding. Not surprisingly, the teeth were sensitive as well as disfigured. After bonding, the teeth were not sensitive to temperature or air, and they look much more attractive.

             Severe Case of  Gum Recession Repaired with Dental bonding by Dr.Bell:

This case shows how teeth can close spaces with bonding. You can see the the spacing of the  teeth creating “v”-shaped spaces at the edges. The two front teeth were bonded, and the results were pleasing. Bonding uses white filling material that is placed over the teeth and “bonded” to the teeth with special dental adhesives to create a micromechanical bond. No anesthesia was necessary for this case, and the patient was very happy with her new smile.

                 Spaces in between two front teeth closed with dental bonding:

These pictures show a typical fracture repair after an accident. We can match the existing tooth structure so closely that the restoration seems to disappear into the teeth.

  Picture of two front teeth with fractures after trauma replaced with bonding:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bonding:

Advantages:

• Can be done in one visit, with minimal tooth reduction.
• Many times no anesthesia is necessary.
• Less expensive than laboratory fabricated restorations.
• With proper layering of different colors and the translucency of bonding materials, the dentist can match tooth structure as well as (and sometimes better than) the dental laboratory.

Disadvantages:

• Bonding is not able to stand up to heavy biting forces, so it tends to wear and break if used in the wrong situations.
• Bonding dulls after time and has to be re-polished, whereas porcelain (made in the dental laboratory) is much harder and does not lose its shine or glaze.