05 Jul Is Dental Bonding Worth It?
Even the smallest imperfections can make you lose confidence in your smile. When it comes to fixing minor cosmetic concerns, like discoloration or small cracks, many people opt for dental bonding.
But is dental bonding actually worth it? Should you pay for a cosmetic dental procedure when it’s only to repair a minor flaw? Let’s take a look at how dental bonding works, the benefits it offers, and why it might be the right choice for you.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Also known as “tooth bonding” this cosmetic dental procedure involves applying a composite resin to the surface of a tooth and carefully hardening it with a special UV light. It’s a lot like filling a cavity, but it’s more like sculpting than filling.
The resin is colored to match your teeth and shaped to improve their appearance. Dental bonding can close small gaps, reshape irregularities, repair minor chips or cracks, and cover up stained or discolored teeth.
Four Reasons Why Dental Bonding Is Worth It
1: It’s Affordable
Dental bonding is popular because it’s an affordable way to correct minor flaws in your teeth. Compared to other cosmetic dental procedures, such as dental crowns or porcelain veneers, tooth bonding is much cheaper and is even covered by most insurance plans. So if you only want to make chips, gaps, or stained teeth look better, dental bonding can do the trick without breaking the bank.
2: It’s Quick and Convenient
The dental bonding procedure is relatively short—it usually only takes around thirty to sixty minutes per tooth. Crowns and other cosmetic treatments take a lot longer and may require multiple appointments, making them inconvenient if you have a busy schedule.
3: The Procedure Is Minimally Invasive
Veneers and crowns usually require removing part of the tooth in preparation for the restoration. This can make teeth sensitive to hot and cold temperatures because restorations are not as good at insulating the sensitive pulp inside your teeth. Dental bonding, however, is minimally invasive and does not cause tooth sensitivity.
4: It Looks Natural
Another benefit of dental bonding is that it looks just like part of your teeth. The composite resin used is carefully color-matched so that it blends in seamlessly. You can talk, laugh, and smile with confidence knowing your teeth look and feel natural.
What to Consider Before Choosing Dental Bonding
Durability
Although dental bonding is durable and long-lasting, it doesn’t last as long as veneers or crowns. Dental bonding can last up to ten years with proper care, while porcelain veneers can last up to 12, and crowns can last up to 15 years.
Staining
You will also need to avoid teeth-staining foods and drinks (such as red wine, coffee, and dark berries) that will make your teeth look darker than the dental bonding. If you plan to get your teeth whitened, you should do so before getting dental bonding, so that the resin will match the new color.
Limited Applications
Dental bonding is excellent at fixing minor cosmetic problems, but it’s not a suitable solution for more extreme cases. For instance, significantly cracked teeth may need a root canal and a crown to effectively treat the problem. And teeth with large chips may need veneers to properly restore the tooth.
Dental Bonding in Sun Lakes, Arizona
If you want to correct a few minor imperfections, dental bonding is absolutely worth it—even if you’re on a budget. From dental bonding to crowns to veneers, the team at Dr. Saba and Associates provides only the best cosmetic dental treatments. Call us at 480-895-2111 today to schedule a consultation.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (7/5/2023). Photo by Centre for Ageing Better on Unsplash