What is composite bonding?
Composite bonding is a procedure whereby a tooth-coloured composite resin is sculpted and bonded on to the tooth, either covering parts of it or the whole surface like a veneer.
Composite bonding is very versatile and can be used to treat various clinical scenarios including:
- Smile makeovers
- Improve the alignment of teeth
- Close gaps between teeth
- Improve the shape, size and colour of teeth
- Improve the colour of dark teeth
- Repair chipped or fractured teeth
- Restore decayed teeth
- Treat worn down teeth
Benefits of Composite Bonding
- Composite bonding usually requires little or no preparation of the tooth structure, meaning less pain and discomfort.
- As the treatment is more preservative of tooth structure, there is less chance of needing root canal treatment compared to veneers and crowns.
- Composite bonding can often be completed within a single visit for simpler cases without local anaesthetic.
- Composite bonding is often cheaper than ceramic restorations such as veneers and crowns.
- It is easier and cheaper to repair composite bonding compared to ceramic restorations, therefore easier and cheaper long term maintenance.
- No temporary restorations are required with composite bonding treatments.
- Composite bonding is easier to adjust as per your desire once completed, where as ceramic restorations can not usually be altered once bonded in place.
- Composite bonding is considered to be more “reversible”, as it can be removed with little or no damage to the underlying tooth if disliked.
- For advanced complex cases that involve changing the bite, composite resin is an excellent way of test driving the new bite prior to moving on to ceramic restorations.
Why choose Acorn Dental for composite bonding?
Dr Dipesh Parmar has a global reputation for his skills in composite bonding. He lectures internationally teaching other dental professionals on minimally invasive smile makeovers (Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, New Zealand, Poland, Norway, Los Angeles, Canada, Middle East, Sweden).
He also runs UKs most successful composite bonding course for dentists (Mini Smile Makeover – www.minismilemakeover.com). With his international reputation, many of his patients are dentists or patients referred by dental professionals.
The Composite Bonding Procedure
- Consultation: We perform a comprehensive examination and take the time to listen to you.
- Planning: We take all necessary information required to plan your case (often including photographs, x-rays and impressions).
- Trial Smile: For complex cases, we can perform a mock-up of the expected result to give you a visual of the end result.
- Composite Bonding: The composite resin is sculpted and bonded on to the teeth to be treated.
- Polishing: The restorations are then shaped and polished to look and feel like natural teeth.
- Review: A final check-over of the restorations with adjustments if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
The teeth are cleaned first to remove any debris. The tooth is first etched to roughen the surface microscopically. An adhesive is then painted onto this surface and set using a bright light. A composite resin material is then sculpted in layers to the desired shape and size, and finally set using a bright light. The restoration is then shaped and polished to look and feel like a natural tooth.
Composite bonding is ideal for patients who would like to improve the appearance of their smile but don’t need more substantial restorative procedures like veneers and crowns. Your dentist will assess your suitability at your initial consultation following thorough examination of the health of your teeth and gums. If you wish to improve the colour of your teeth, your dentist may recommend whitening your teeth first, to allow the new composite bonding to match your whiter teeth. Ask your dentist about Enlighten whitening. It guarantees long lasting results with simple at home maintenance.
The vast majority of cases are completed pain-free and without the need for a local anaesthetic injection. For more complex cases involving multiple teeth or replacement of existing large restorations, we may need to use local anaesthestic, a rubber dam and there may be a need for tooth preparation depending on the case. Your dentist will discuss this with you at your initial consultation.
For most cases, no, which is why it is often a great alternative to ceramic veneers. If there are existing restorations present, we often like to remove them if defective or reduce them in size to create space for the new composite resin. Cases which involve improving the alignment of teeth may require some degree of tooth preparation, however you will be informed of this at the consultation and alternative solutions will be discussed.
Prices for composite bonding begin at £295 per tooth and can go up £695 per tooth for those seeking world-class restorations by Dr Dipesh Parmar. We can also offer lower price options with other associate dentists at the practice.
Most dentists do composite bonding using one shade of material. Although this works for most cases, there are cases, especially for larger build ups, where you would get a more aesthetic result using various shades of composite resin to give you more life-like results. Although, this makes treatment time slightly longer and a little more expensive, the end result is much better as the restoration looks indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Again, your dentist can discuss the different options with you and you can co-decide what is best for you.
As with any cosmetic dental procedure, composite bonding does not last forever and will eventually need replacing. Typically, we find composite bonding will look at its best for around 5 years. We have seen cases last for longer in patients who really follow maintenance instructions and look after their composite bonding.
It is very important for you to continue to see your dentist every 6 months so they can assess how the composite bonding is performing. Sometimes, all that is required is simple repairs and maintenance such a re-polishing, re-surfacing or repairing a stained or chipped edge. Factors that reduce the life-span of composite bonding include tooth grinding, accidental damage, poor oral hygiene or tooth movement due to retainers not being worn.
In order for your composite bonding to last as long as possible it is important for you to respect and take care of them. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing and it would be advisable for you to see the hygienist at least twice a year. Composite bonding is not as strong as natural teeth so it is important you avoid using these teeth for biting into hard foods or placing hard objects in your mouth, for example, pens or hair pins, as this can cause them to chip or break.
If you have been provided with a bite guard, it is imperative that you follow the instructions your dentist has given to you otherwise you can expect early failure of your restorations. Please bring the bite guard to all subsequent appointments.
If review appointments have been advised, please attend these appointments as they allow us to make any changes required that will help improve the longevity of your restorations. This may include polishing the restorations, adjusting the bite or the bite guard. If you fail to attend these appointments, no responsibility will be taken for the early failure of your restorations.
Paying for all of your dental treatment upfront can be difficult. To help, we offer 0% finance plans. Interest fee credit and low cost payment plans are a great way to spread the cost of your treatment over an agreed period of up to 24 months to suit your budget. Monthly repayment costs are entirely dependent on individual treatment plans and finance options are subject to the usual credit checks.
Yes. We are firm believers of “failing to plan is planning to fail”. At the initial consultation a full clinical examination will be performed, we will discuss your concerns, talk through the treatment options available to you, show you examples of past cases and provide you with all the information you’ll need to make a decision. Once the consultation is complete we will also provide you with a quotation for the treatment.
The consultation also provides the opportunity to take photographs, impressions and radiographs required for the planning of your case.
To book a consultation please call Acorn Dental on 0121 777 1537. Currently, the price for a consultation is £60 and payment is required upon booking the appointment.
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