Beyond Fillings: What Can Cosmetic Dental Bonding Do for Your Smile?

If you’ve gotten a cavity filling in recent years, you probably already know about composite resin, a durable, tooth-colored material that can restore a tooth invisibly. But did you know this versatile material can do a lot more for your smile? At Anderson Family Dental, we use the highest quality composite resins to repair damage and improve a wide range of smile flaws with cosmetic dental bonding in Winter Park, FL.

Let’s explore a few ways this versatile material can improve and protect your smile!

REPAIRING CHIPPED OR CRACKED TEETH

Accidents happen. Whether you bit down on something hard or suffered a minor injury, a chipped or cracked tooth can be frustrating and uncomfortable. Fortunately, composite resin can restore the shape and look of your tooth in just one visit. 

For small chips, we can apply the resin, sculpt it to match your natural tooth, and harden it with a special light to create a seamless repair that looks just like your original tooth. It’s a quick and painless way to fix small chips and cracks without major dental work.

While deep cracks frequently need to be reinforced and stabilized with a dental crown, shallow cracks can sometimes be repaired with a filling. But only if we can diagnose and treat them very early, which is why it’s critical to keep up with regular dental check-ups!

CLOSING SMALL GAPS BETWEEN TEETH

Many people are concerned about gaps between their teeth because of how it affects the look of their smile. However, small gaps can affect your oral health by creating traps where food can get packed between the teeth, damaging your gums and increasing your risk for decay. 

If you have small gaps between your teeth, you might think braces are your only option, but composite resin can be a simple solution! In some cases, we can use dental bonding to fill in minor spaces, giving you a more even smile and eliminating food traps. This is a great choice if the rest of your teeth are properly aligned and you have very small gaps that don’t warrant orthodontics. The procedure is painless, and the results are immediate.

RESHAPING TEETH FOR A MORE EVEN SMILE

Not everyone is born with perfectly shaped teeth, and that’s okay! Some teeth may be slightly misshapen, too short, too skinny, or mismatched from their neighbors. We can use dental bonding to reshape a tooth and create a balanced, natural-looking smile. This is sometimes called “tooth contouring” or “cosmetic bonding.” This is a very conservative option that doesn’t require significant changes to your natural enamel. We’ll simply add a little resin, sculpt it to the ideal shape, and polish it to blend in with the rest of your teeth.

While this can be a great solution for very small adjustments, it’s not permanent. Resin also won’t keep its shine or color like porcelain, so veneers are still the best long-term solution for most smile zone flaws.

PROTECTING WORN-DOWN AND SENSITIVE TEETH

Do your teeth feel sensitive when you eat hot, cold, or sweet foods? You might have worn-down or eroded enamel or exposed tooth roots. Composite resin can act as a protective shield that covers exposed areas and reduces sensitivity.

While dental bonding can be an excellent solution for certain types of wear, it’s important to know that these restorations can sometimes be more trouble than they’re worth. This is especially true for people with heavy tooth grinding or jaw clenching (bruxism), which can wear through composite resin or cause restorations to fall off eroded enamel or exposed roots.

In most cases, tooth wear and erosion are better addressed with permanent restorations like crowns, and sensitivity due to exposed roots can be better addressed with periodontal care like gum grafting to restore the gums to their ideal position.

AND OF COURSE, FILLING CAVITIES INVISIBLY

As you can see, composite resin is an incredibly versatile material. However, filling cavities is definitely what it does best. There are lots of options out there for materials to repair tooth decay. Amalgam, also known as a silver filling, was the standard for decades. While it’s an affordable option, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Silver fillings can create unsightly dark spots that show when you speak or laugh and can even discolor your teeth over time. They also require larger preparations, meaning you lose more of your natural enamel. Because the material expands and contracts more than your teeth, it can also cause cracks or fractures over time.

Composite resin has become the gold standard in fixing cavities because it blends seamlessly with your smile while allowing a more conservative treatment and preventing long-term complications that come with other materials. However, other options like porcelain inlays and onlays, gold, and glass ionomer can offer additional benefits and superior longevity in some cases.

WE'RE HERE TO KEEP YOUR SMILE HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL WITH DENTAL BONDING AND INVISIBLE FILLINGS IN WINTER PARK, FL!

At Anderson Family Dental, we’re committed to providing exceptional care using the highest quality materials. Composite resin is a versatile solution for a wide range of concerns. It’s also highly customizable, allowing us to closely match the shade of your natural teeth to give you a seamless result.

If you’re struggling with tooth decay or smile zone flaws, talk to us! We’ll thoroughly evaluate your dental health and walk you through all the best options for a lifetime of better oral health.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

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Dr. Bryant Anderson, DMD

Dr. Bryant Anderson knew from a young age that he wanted to become a dentist. He studied Biology and Chemistry at Utah Valley University. He continued his education at the University of Florida College of Dentistry earning his Doctorate in Dental Medicine. As a top-ranking graduate in his dental class, Dr. Bryant Anderson was inducted into the dental honor society OKU. READ MORE