Dental Bonding in San Antonio, TXWhen you look at your teeth in the mirror, are you happy with what you see? Even if your teeth are in great health, the smallest flaws can impact their appearance. Because of this, you might not be completely satisfied with your smile. Even if the flaws don’t affect your oral health, they can still impact your confidence. The great news is that you don’t have to live with them. At Advanced Dental Associates, we can complete transform your teeth with bonding. When Should Bonding Be Considered?The goal of dental bonding is to reshape your teeth, altering their appearance into a more aesthetically pleasing shape. In doing so, the procedure helps to improve the overall appearance of your smile. It is purely a cosmetic treatment that can improve teeth with issues such as small cracks, gaps between them, or size discrepancies. It cannot be used to fix larger issues. In cases of more significant damage, an alternative treatment may be necessary. How Does Bonding Change My Teeth?Bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin material. At first, the material is almost like putty. This gives us the ability to change its shape to fit the needs of your teeth. Before applying the composite resin, a phosphoric acid is applied to where the bonding will be placed. This etches the tooth enamel, making it rough, so the composite resin will more effectively remain in place. The soft composite resin is then applied to your teeth. We shape it to alter and improve the appearance of your teeth. Once you are satisfied with the results, a light is used to harden the material. The final step is polishing the composite resin smooth. The results are nothing short of incredible. What are the Pros and Cons of Bonding?One of the greatest benefits of bonding is that it is one of the most affordable cosmetic procedures. It is also completely painless. It requires the least amount of tooth enamel removal. In fact, instead of removing enamel, the phosphoric acid prepares your teeth for treatment. This is very different than treatments like porcelain veneers and ceramic crowns, where we need to remove bits of your tooth enamel to properly place the restorations. To top it all off, the procedure is very quick. You only need one appointment. We can generally complete bonding in about 30 minutes. For those requiring a bit more work, you may only need about an hour. There are also a few disadvantages to keep in mind as well. While bonding it effectively, it is not the strongest treatment available. It is susceptible to cracking or breaking under too much pressure. Additionally, bonding can stain. If you drink a lot of coffee or smoke cigarettes, your bonding can discolor over time. This is because the composite resin is porous. If your bonding does become discolored, it will need to be replaced to maintain your gorgeous smile. The material cannot be whitened. If you are interested in learning more about bonding, and whether or not it is the right solution for your teeth, contact Advanced Dental Associates at (210) 714-5589 to schedule your appointment today. |
Advanced Dental Associates
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