If you have a chip in one of your teeth that needs to be repaired, then your dentist has several options to repair the tooth. If the chip is large, then a crown may be needed. These types of additions protect damaged teeth, but they are expensive. If you have a small chip that needs to be fixed or if you want to reduce your dental costs substantially, then dental bonding may be a better choice. Bonding has several advantages over crowns, besides reduced cost, like the following.
Bonding Is Completed Quickly
Crowns require several appointments to complete a tooth repair. Tooth preparation, molding, and the creation of the dental implement need to occur, and then the crown is glued to the tooth. If you opt for bonding, the dental procedure is completed during a single appointment. Your tooth is prepared by roughening the surface a small amount. This helps the resin to bond to your natural dental enamel. A conditioning liquid is then applied to the area to enhance the bond between the resin and your tooth. Conditioning also helps to make sure the bond area is clean.
Once the tooth is prepared, your dentist will use a color chart to match the tone of your teeth to the resin filler material. The filler is mixed and shaped in the tooth chip. A UV light hardens the resin and files smooth the tooth. A buffing is completed, and then your dentist will make sure that the bond does not create a bite issue. A bit more filing may be needed at this point if you have a hard time biting down on the bond.
Very Little Tooth Material Is Removed
Your chip will be filed just enough to roughen the area for good bonding between the resin and your tooth. This is very different from the crown preparation process. Before a crown is made, about one millimeter of enamel and dentin must be removed to make room for a ceramic cap. This is a significant amount of the tooth, and the grinding means a lot less of your natural tooth material will be left behind.
Preserving the natural teeth is likely your goal, and bonding will allow for this. Typically, a file attachment will be placed on a drill and it will be used gently along the chip. In most cases, the filing and preparation is minimally invasive enough that lidocaine is not needed to numb the area where the chip is being repaired.
If you have a chip in your tooth, then dental bonding is a great option to repair the dental damage. Bonding is cheaper, easier, and it requires the removal of less natural tooth material. For more information, check out sites like http://www.charlottemonroedentist.com.
Share6 August 2016
Being born with naturally soft teeth, I've spent a lot of time in and out of the dentist's office. Not only have I learned a lot about basic dental care, I've also discovered many tips for dealing with broken teeth, extractions, implants, and more. I decided that I wanted to make the most of my experience by sharing what I've learned with others. True first-hand experience is a great teacher, and I knew that my story could help. I created this site to do just that, and I hope that the information here helps you to understand what to expect from your dental problems.