Cosmetic bonding

Bonding suits small, visible changes on front teeth. A chipped or cracked edge, a small gap, edges worn down by grinding, or a tooth that's shorter or a different shape than its neighbors can all be rebuilt with it. It can also cover a stain that whitening won't lift.

It's also how a dark old filling on a front tooth is replaced. The new one is matched to the shade of your teeth, so it blends in when you talk and smile. You'll sometimes hear this called a cosmetic filling.

A chipped front tooth doesn't always need a veneer. For a small repair, bonding removes little or nothing from the tooth, costs less, and can be redone later. Porcelain veneers suit bigger changes in color and shape, and they resist stain for longer. They usually need some enamel removed, so they're a bigger commitment.

We'll talk through both with you. Before either, we check your bite and ask about grinding. A heavy bite can chip bonding and porcelain alike, so we plan around it and the repair lasts.

People sometimes call bonding a temporary fix. It isn't. With good care it often lasts several years, sometimes much longer. It is softer than enamel and porcelain, though, so over time it can pick up stain or chip at the edge. A chip can usually be repaired without redoing the whole thing.

Don't bite your nails, pens or ice. Go easy on coffee, tea and red wine for the first couple of days, and rinse with water after them. If you grind or clench, a night guard protects the bonding while you sleep. At your regular cleanings, the bonding can be polished to bring back its shine.