How Long Does Dental Bonding Last?
If you are looking for an inexpensive and very effective technique to improve your smile, making it healthy and bright, dental bonding is for you.
What is dental bonding and when is it used?
Dental bonding is an aesthetic dentistry treatment which consists of coating the external dental enamel with a composite material that gives the teeth a bright and white appearance. It is a very useful technique to cover small imperfections such as chipped or broken teeth, to cover dental stains or to make small fillings. But it doesn't end there, it's a useful remedy even in case of withdrawn gums, to protect the root of the tooth from tooth sensitivity.
How is the dental bonding treatment performed?
Dental bonding treatment involves several steps:
* preparation stage
* etching
* application of the resin layer
* drying
* modeling
* polishing
After having carried out an overview of the teeth to evaluate their general state of health, the dentist identifies the color closest to that of natural teeth using a pantone. It therefore proceeds with the etching: the application on the dental surface of an acid substance that facilitates the action of the sealants allowing greater adhesion to the dental structure. Then the layer of resins is applied which will be shaped and smoothed to adapt it to the shape of the teeth. The resin composite will then be dried with an ultraviolet light or laser and undergoes one final sculpting and final polishing. This technique is a minimally invasive and a rather rapid procedure that takes between 30 and 60 minutes in your dentist office.
How long do the results of a dental bonding treatment last?
For dental bonding, a good duration depends on the habits assumed by the patient and on the care they take of their oral health. Although bonding has the advantage of being one of the cheapest and least invasive cosmetic dentistry treatments, dental bonding also has risks and downsides. In fact, the resin can easily get scratched if you have the habit of biting hard objects, in the case of nail biting or when chewing very hard foods.
To ensure a longer life and take care of the dental bonding, it is recommended to:
* avoid bad habits such as nail biting or biting on pen caps or other hard objects
* avoid smoking
* reduce the consumption of some substances that can stain the resin (coffee, tea)
* Thoroughly clean the oral cavity using not only the toothbrush but also dental floss, an interdental brush and mouthwash.
So how to take care of dental bonding? It is advisable to avoid a bad diet, which includes the consumption of tea and coffee, smoking, and poor dental hygiene, as they can stain the resin. Therefore, the daily use of a toothbrush (chosen among many models, soft bristle brushes may be more suitable for bonding), dental floss, and mouthwashes after each meal to thoroughly clean the oral cavity. Additionally, professional dental cleaning at least twice a year is essential. Prevention, as always, is the best way to take care of our body and to safeguard our oral health.