Dental Bonding

At the dental practice of Dr. W. Paul Burns, DDS, helping our patients in the El Dorado, Union County, Magnolia, Camden, and surrounding AR areas achieve and maintain optimal oral health is our number one priority. “Optimal oral health” encompasses many things-from keeping your teeth and gums disease-free and achieving a healthy bite to helping you feel great about the appearance of your smile, we offer a variety of solutions to help you get there. Dental bonding is one such treatment. This versatile chairside procedure can not only repair teeth that have chips or cracks, but also enhance the appearance of your smile so you can be confident about showing it off to others.

WHAT IS DENTAL BONDING?

Dental bonding can be a restorative or cosmetic procedure (also called “cosmetic bonding”). Dr. Burns places a tooth-colored material called composite resin on the teeth that are being treated and custom-shapes it for a natural-looking appearance and function. With this versatile treatment, Dr. Burns can:

• Repair chips and cracks
• Fill in areas of decay
• Change a tooth’s shape
• Correct minor issues with how your teeth bite together
• Fill in gaps between teeth
• Hide stains or permanent discoloration
• Make teeth look longer (“crown lengthening”)
• Protect the tooth roots in areas where gum recession has occurred

THE DENTAL BONDING PROCEDURE

Dental bonding is a quick and painless procedure, making it a great choice for patients who want to achieve the functional and aesthetic benefits of the treatment without undergoing more extensive treatments that require multiple office visits or alteration of tooth structure. Little to no preparation is required, unless bonding is being used to repair an area of decay, which means that patients typically don’t need anesthesia. Dr. Burns will select the color of composite resin that most closely matches your natural tooth color, and then will gently roughen the surface of the tooth with a special conditioning liquid that helps the composite resin better adhere to the tooth. Then, he places a small amount of the composite resin on the tooth and molds it so that it looks and feels like a natural tooth. Using a blue light, he then cures it for a hard and durable finish, and polishes it so that it has the same luster as your natural tooth enamel. Overall, the treatment takes about half an hour to an hour per tooth.

LEARN MORE IN A CONSULTATION

If you are interested in learning more about teeth bonding for gaps, discoloration, or other cosmetic or functional issues with your smile, call the dental practice of Dr. W. Paul Burns, DDS to schedule your consultation today! You can reach our El Dorado, AR office at (870) 686-4232.