Tooth Bonding Santa Clarita

Bear in mind, many materials are as strong as your natural teeth, including composite resin. Avoid activities that might damage your teeth such as chewing on ice, writing utensils, and your fingernails.

Bruxism (teeth grinding) can also damage the bonding resin by grinding it down quicker than normal, run-of-the-mill wear and tear. If you are a bruxer, consider investing in a mouth guard or night guard, either through our office or a third party. Bonding your front teeth typically requires minimal prep-work, so anesthesia is unnecessary unless there is an old restoration or decay present. The tooth is layered with a conditioning gel to help the bonding material stay put. The resin is then applied and hardened with a UV light.

While your bond repairs the tooth initially, good oral hygiene is still required for long-lasting effects. Excessive hard foods and candies can also cause damage to your bond, so it’s best to avoid them since these are not great for regular teeth either. Whitening gels won’t harm anything, but you may see some discoloration as your tooth’s appearance changes, but your bond remains identical.

The process works best for healthy teeth that have suffered minor damage or trauma. You should also be content with your teeth color before getting your bond, so discuss teeth whitening with your dentist in preparation for your bond if it’s something that’s on your mind.

Minimal preparation is needed for dental bonding on your end, outside of practicing standard oral hygiene. As long as you show up with your teeth brushed and flossed, you are good to go! If it is almost time for your biannual dental cleaning around the time of your procedure, you might consider moving up that cleaning and scheduling it beforehand.

To kick off your bonding appointment, your dentist will select a shade that best matches up with your teeth to prepare the resin. The actual composite resin is a pliable, putty-like material that can be molded into countless shapes. Local anesthesia may be necessary if a nerve is nearby the site of the procedure, but no anesthesia is typically needed for surface repairs. The bonding procedure then starts by making the surface of the tooth coarser and more susceptible to the bonding material. The dentist will subsequently apply a fluid to help the resin stick to your teeth. Next, they will apply and mold the resin into shape. After smoothing it down, they will use UV waves to cure and harden the resin in only a few seconds.