Dental Cosmetic Bonding

Cosmetic bonding is a dental procedure designed to fill or restore chipped, broken, decayed or discolored teeth with a tooth-colored resin to improve the overall appearance of your teeth and smile. Our highly skilled doctors at Rangel Dental in Morristown, New Jersey, bond a tooth by adding composite materials to the tooth structure to adjust the size, shape and/or color of the existing tooth. Unlike other procedures, we complete cosmetic bonding in a single visit and your tooth maintains a more natural appearance.

Our dentists use a shade guide to select the composite resin color that best matches your tooth’s natural color. The cosmetic bonding process usually takes an hour or less for a single tooth and includes:

• Slight abrasion or etching of the tooth surface to roughen it
• Light coating of a conditioning liquid to help bonding material adhere
• Application of tooth-colored, putty-like resin
• Molding and smoothing resin to the proper shape
• Hardening the resin with an ultraviolet light
• Trimming and shaping the hardened material
• Polishing surface to match the sheen of your other teeth

If you require cosmetic bonding on multiple teeth, you may need to schedule more than one visit. Minimize or prevent stains on new resin surfaces by avoiding cigarettes and tea, coffee and other food and drink that typically cause staining for the first 48 hours. Continue brushing and flossing daily, and schedule dental cleanings every six months.

Bonding is most often used for cosmetic purposes to improve the appearance of your teeth, including:

• Correcting a chipped tooth
• Correcting a cracked tooth
• Providing even tooth color
• Closing spaces between teeth
• Changing teeth shape or color

Bonding usually allows the tooth’s structure to be preserved, and it’s among the easiest, least expensive cosmetic dental procedures. This sometimes makes it the preferred choice over veneers or crowns, but cosmetic bonding may not be as long-lasting or durable. Composite resin isn’t as strong as your natural tooth, so avoid biting down on hard objects to prevent chipping. Cosmetic bonding usually lasts several years before you need it repaired.

Our entire staff, including Dr. Lisa Rangel and Dr. Meha Sheth, work together to provide a comfortable environment and to ensure the best oral health care for every patient. If you’re considering cosmetic bonding to repair one or more damaged teeth, contact us at 973-292-0001 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment online today.