Does Your Tooth Need Bonding and Contouring?
August 14, 2019
There’s more to cosmetic dentistry than just teeth whitening or ClearCorrect orthodontics. If you have a chipped tooth, or have issues with the surface or shape of your teeth, then you may benefit from two unique cosmetic treatments. Both dental bonding and dental contouring can often restore smiles in just one visit, addressing an array of concerns with a smile’s appearance.
When Does a Tooth Need Treatment?
While purely esthetic procedures, which address issues that only impact a smile’s appearance but not overall health and infection, can often wait, issues caused by damage need to be addresses quickly. If you chip a tooth, or wear down the enamel and structure due to teeth grinding, please see us right away. Even if you sustain an injury to a tooth and no damage is visible, please consider an exam, as dental fractures may be practically invisible. Minor damage could potentially expose the inner tooth structure, which is very sensitive and porous, to harmful bacteria. Over time, a cavity could form and the risk of an infection could rise. To avoid discomfort and oral health complications, see us right away to address any damage!
Bonding
Dental bonding can be used to repair minor chips or to help lengthen worn down teeth. To begin, we need to remove any decay and thoroughly clean the tooth. We may also gently etch the surface that needs repair. The procedure uses composite resin, a metal-free blend of quartz-like and acrylic compounds that can be shaded to match the color of your tooth. We apply the material in several layers, the etched portions help it stay in place while curing under a light. Finally, we polish the tooth for a more lifelike appearance. Along with repair, we can employ the procedure to mask permanent teeth stains, which may not otherwise respond to teeth whitening, or to close gaps between the teeth. We also use the same material in our dental filling procedures.
Contouring
Contouring takes a very different approach. We don’t add material to the tooth. Instead, we gently buff and sand away a small layer of outer tooth structure to reshape the tooth and address cosmetic imperfections. We can remove pits or grooves in the tooth’s surface, or reshape chipped or malformed teeth. Treatment can also dull teeth that are overly pointed. As with bonding, the entire procedure only takes a single visit to complete. In fact, we often perform both in the same sitting.
Do You Need Cosmetic Dental Care?
We offer cosmetic dentistry to help improve smiles and allow patients to enjoy stunning new smiles. To learn more about or approach to cosmetic dental treatment, then please schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.