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Bonding lies at the heart of many cosmetic dental procedures performed today. It is basically an adhesive process that allows a composite resin or tooth-colored filling material to stick firmly to your existing tooth. The process is used to cement cosmetic crowns and porcelain veneers as well as for tooth-colored fillings
Bonding was first used in dentistry more than twenty-five years ago and has grown to be an important dental procedure, especially in the cosmetic dental practice. The bonding process is fairly simple:
- The tooth structure is chemically etched with a mild acidic solution which creates microscopic roughness on the surface of enamel and exposes the ends of tiny fibers on the dentin.
- A thin coat of clear resin is flowed onto the surface and hardened with a brite "curing" light, locking it onto the tooth's surface.
- Finally, the tooth-colored filling or cement is placed on top of the thin layer and "cured" again.
Bonding is a safe and beautiful way to restore damaged tooth structure and to enhance a smile. Bonding can also be used to cement cosmetic or dental crowns and to seal exposed dentin to help reduce sensitivity.