Are You a Good Candidate for Cosmetic Dental Bonding? By on May 02, 2015

A woman with a radiant, youthful smile after cosmetic dental bonding Among cosmetic dentistry procedures, few can match dental bonding in terms of the immediacy of results and excellent value for the dollar. As an alternative to treatments such as porcelain veneers, dental bonding offers similarly outstanding results while costing less money. While bonding may not last as long or be as natural looking as porcelain veneers, when performed by dental artists with the aesthetic sensibilities of Drs. Jin Ha Joung, Mark Samani, and Min-Hee Cho, the procedure can yield beautiful results that can last for years.

Fortunately, most patients are suitable cosmetic dental bonding candidates at our Ridgewood cosmetic dentistry practice. Whether dental bonding is the right procedure for you will depend ultimately on your needs and goals. You will have the opportunity to discuss your desires as well as all of the treatment options available to you during a one-on-one, confidential consultation with one of our esteemed dental professionals at our state-of-the-art office. Simply schedule your consultation today.

Are you a candidate for dental bonding?

Dental bonding involves the application of a composite resin material to the front surfaces of the teeth. This bonding material is colored to match the surrounding natural teeth and sculpted to complement those teeth in terms of size, shape, and texture. To the naked eye, bonded teeth are difficult to distinguish from natural teeth, blending in beautifully to nearly any smile.

In order to be considered a suitable candidate for dental bonding, you must:

Be in basically good oral health. Although the bonding material will help to reinforce the teeth, making them somewhat stronger, dental bonding is primarily a cosmetic procedure. It is not an appropriate treatment for teeth that are structurally compromised to the point that they require restorative work, nor is it an appropriate treatment for patients with advanced gum disease or other oral health conditions that require immediate dental care. Once these conditions have been addressed, then a patient’s candidacy for dental bonding may be reassessed.
Have teeth with minor aesthetic flaws. Dental bonding is designed to conceal minor aesthetic flaws such as chipping, cracking, discoloration, and imperfections in size and shape.
Have realistic expectations. Dental bonding is not a permanent solution to aesthetic flaws in teeth. The results of dental bonding typically last for approximately five years and can last for up to ten years in some cases. While bonded teeth will look excellent, the bonding material is not translucent, which porcelain and natural tooth enamel both are. Therefore, bonded teeth will not look as natural as porcelain restorations such as porcelain veneers and crowns.
Be willing to follow post-procedural instructions. Patients with bonded teeth will be provided with instructions that they are well-advised to follow. Most of these instructions are basically common-sense pieces of advice, such as “avoid chewing on ice, pen caps, and fingernails” and “avoid sticky, chewy, and crunchy foods.” Failure to follow these instructions could shorten the lifespan of your bonding results.