What are the advantages of composite cosmetic dental filling?

Composite is a mixture of resin and glass particles, which is capable of homogenizing colors with natural teeth. Dental bonding using composite material can help you change the color of your teeth, restore or reshape damaged teeth, or fix gap teeth. 

For what conditions is dental bonding considered?

Your dentist may recommend cosmetic dental bonding if you need to:

• Repair decay teeth
• Repair chipped or cracked teeth
• Improve the appearance of discolored teeth
• Close spaces between teeth
• Change the shape of your teeth (make your teeth even)
• Protect a portion of the tooth's root that has been exposed when gums recede.

Read more: Fix front diastema with dental fillings

Cosmetic dental bonding procedure

1. Preparation

Little advance preparation is needed for dental bonding. The dentist may not need anesthesia unless it is used to treat tooth decay, or if a cavity is located near a nerve. Your dentist will use a shade guide to select a composite resin color that will match the color of your tooth as naturally as possible.

2. The bonding process

The surface of the tooth will be roughened and the dentist will apply a conditioning liquid on it. This step will help the bonding material adhere to the tooth. After that, the tooth-colored resin is then applied, molded, and smoothed to the desired shape. Next, the dentist uses a special light, usually blue or laser, to harden the bonding material. After the material is hardened, your dentist will further trim and shape it; finally, polish it to match the sheen of the rest of the tooth surface.

3. Average time for dental bonding.

It usually takes about 30-60 minutes per tooth to complete.

Advantages of cosmetic dental bonding using composite material

Dental bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. Unlike crowns and veneers, which take time to customize in a lab, bonding can be completed in one visit. In addition, the amount of tooth enamel to remove before bonding is also less than other methods.

Moreover, composite materials used for cosmetic dental bonding also have many advantages such as:

• Esthetically, the color of the composite material is quite compatible with the color of your natural teeth. Composite is also suitable for use in front teeth bonding or in visible areas of teeth.
• Composite binds quite well to the tooth structure, helping to support additional strength to the teeth.
• Flexible use for many purposes. Not only can fillings for decayed teeth, but composite can also be used in cases of chipped, broken, or worn teeth.
• Need less space to bond so the tooth structure will not be damaged much compared to silver fillings (amalgam).

Dental care after composite bonding

After bonding, you do not need to have special care. Simply, you just need to maintain good oral hygiene habits. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, using floss and antiseptic mouthwash 1-2 times a day. In addition, you should also visit the dentist regularly to have check-ups and scaling regularly.

Bonding material is likely to be chipped so make sure you avoid bad habits such as biting your nails, chewing ice or eating hard foods, opening objects using your teeth, etc. If you feel anything unusual in the bonding teeth, contact the dentist immediately for a timely remedy.

How long does bonding material last?

The lifespan of bonding materials depends on how much bonding was done (the dental skills, the dentist's experience and the quality of the bonding materials) and your oral habits. Typically, bonding materials can last from 3 to 10 years before needing to be replaced.