Dental Bonding In Shirley, MA

Dental bonding is an affordable, fast, and non-invasive way to restore your smile and treat minor cosmetic flaws like gaps in your teeth, stains, and misshapen teeth. Learn more about this treatment below, or contact Nashoba Valley Dental now to schedule a cosmetic consultation with Dr. Matthew Annese.

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Understanding The Basics

What Is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a cosmetic treatment that is used to correct a wide variety of cosmetic dental issues. It involves the use of dental resin, which is applied directly to your teeth and shaped to restore the shape and color of the tooth. 

The process is completely non-invasive. Dr. Matthew Annese will begin your treatment by coating the tooth with a mild acid to roughen the enamel. Then, he will apply a gel-like resin material to the surface of the tooth, and use special tools to shape and harden the resin and restore the tooth.
Once the overall shape of the tooth looks right, Dr. Annese will check your bite, and refine the shape of the tooth using a dental drill, ensuring it fits in perfectly with the surrounding teeth. This process takes about 30-60 minutes. Typically, multiple teeth can be bonded in a single appointment, so bonding allows you to restore your smile quickly.

Who Is a

Good candidate for Dental Bonding?

A good candidate for dental bonding is anyone who is unhappy with the appearance of their teeth and is in good oral health. We cannot bond your teeth if you have active tooth decay or gum disease. This would need to be treated before moving forward with cosmetic treatments. 

Bonding is a great way to repair minor damage to the teeth such as worn-down enamel or small chips and cracks. However, severely damaged teeth are not suitable for bonding. This damage can only be fixed with the use of dental crowns or other more durable restorations. 

It is also great for patients who are looking for a way to improve tooth discoloration but aren’t a fan of the very short lifespan of teeth whitening. Bonding can produce drastically whiter teeth for many years rather than the short months that teeth whitening can fade.

The best way to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental bonding is to come in for a consultation with Dr. Matthew Annese.

Treating Cosmetic Dental Issues

When Would I Need Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is often used to treat a wide variety of cosmetic flaws and imperfections, including:

  • Gaps between the teeth
  • Small, irregular, or misshapen teeth
  • Severe tooth stains
  • Minor chips in teeth

Dental bonding, along with shaping and contouring (enameloplasty) can resolve a wide variety of cosmetic issues, restoring your confidence and self-esteem. 

However, it’s important to note that bonding is not a restorative treatment. It cannot be used to treat broken, decayed, or otherwise damaged teeth. For those purposes, a treatment like a dental filling or a dental crown will be necessary.

Maintaining Your Smile

Aftercare & Upkeep After Bonding

Dental bonding does not require any special oral care or maintenance. After your teeth are treated, you should continue brushing them normally. Brush twice a day and floss once a day to keep your smile healthy, and make sure to see Dr. Annese for a teeth cleaning and oral exam every 6 months.

However, it’s important to note that bonded teeth can be prematurely dislodged or damaged by a few common habits and behaviors. 

You should not chew extremely hard foods like ice or almonds with your bonded teeth, if possible. You also should avoid chewing on non-food objects like pens, erasers, or pencils, and avoid using your teeth as “tools” to open packaging, rip tape, or for any other such purpose.

patient smiling and holding up invisalign

How Long

Does Dental Bonding last?

Dental bonding has a variable lifespan depending on the amount of wear and tear and staining your lifestyle involves. Bonded teeth can last anywhere from 3 to 10 years before needing to be replaced. You should attend regular dental visits every 6 months so your dentist can assess the condition of your bonded teeth and let you know when they need to be touched up.

To extend the longevity of your dental bonding, you need to avoid sources of wear and tear, like chewing on hard foods, biting your nails, using your teeth as tools, and chewing on ice. If you grind your teeth, you are not a good candidate for bonding unless you can consistently wear a night guard to sleep every night. 

Bonding can also become discolored over time if you consume a lot of staining foods and drinks or tobacco products. Avoid smoking and staining products like coffee, tea, red wine, soda, and red sauces, berries, and juices.

How Much

Does Dental Bonding Cost?

The cost will vary depending on the specific location where you are receiving the treatment, how many teeth you are getting bonded, and the specialization of your dentist. On average, bonding ranges from $300-600 per tooth. 

Dental insurance may help fund some of your treatment if you can prove that the bonding is medically necessary. Insurance will not cover purely cosmetic treatments, but if it is needed to prevent a tooth from cracking, then this would be considered a restorative treatment and would be covered as such. Contact your insurance company to find out if they cover dental bonding and what the requirements are.

Get A Consultation

Book A Visit

If you’re interested in the benefits of dental bonding or any other cosmetic treatment at Nashoba Valley Dental, Dr. Matthew Annese is here to help. Contact us online or call us at (978) 425-9088 to explore your options in more detail and get a customized smile treatment plan.

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