Understanding Dental Bonding

Cincinnati-area general and cosmetic dentists us bonding to join different materials together.

Two kinds of bonding process are commonly used by Cincinnati dentists, but for different purposes. While bonding can be used to join to surface areas, it can also be used directly on the tooth to achieve a particular effect. Bonding can be directly applied to the tooth to cover a crack or to fill in a chipped area of a tooth.

The method of dental bonding varies depending upon the severity of the damage or decay in the tooth.

A tooth with a lot of damage or decay may need to be covered up completely. Misalignment of the teeth, gaps or decay that cannot be treated with conventional filling are the kind of problems that require this type of covering. A Cincinnati dentist will usually recommend the application of dental veneers in such cases. Porcelain is the usual material from which veneers are made according to the patient’s exact requirement.

If the tooth has become irreparable by direct bonding technique, a dental crown is the next recommended treatment. Dental crowns are small cap-like restorations which fully cover the remainder of the original tooth by bonding to it and protecting it from any more wear and tear. Crowns are generally crafted from porcelain or gold, and can be used on any tooth in the mouth.

Whenever some kind of a dental bonding is necessary, the patient should be confidant about the knowledge and skill of the dentist.

For bonding to function properly the tooth must be completely isolated, and most Cincinnati dentists slip a "rubber dam" around the tooth with the help of a powerful clamp. This system stops saliva from spoiling the seal between the bonding material and the tooth. Next, a dentist will “etch” the tooth with phosphoric acid to give it a coarse texture to enhance the bond, and then place the resin on the tooth, shaping and contouring it as desired. This method is followed for both fillings and other restorative work, and each Cincinnati dentist has their own approach to these techniques. A follow-up visit with the dentist should be planned after the bonding process to make sure that desired result has been achieved.