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Your smile says a lot about you and is often one of the first features others notice. An attractive smile is important for making long-lasting, good first impressions. If you suffer from an oddly shaped tooth that stands out from the rest of your smile, dental bonding or contouring is the ideal treatment for you. Along with providing a cohesive smile, bonding and contouring can conceal a discolored tooth or correct worn or chipped teeth. Dental bonding is used to close unattractive tooth gaps, as well.

Dental bonding is a simple procedure that is recommended to patients who could benefit from dental veneers but aren’t yet fully committed to that irreversible treatment. Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are bonded to the front surface of flawed teeth. Similar to veneers, bonding covers visible imperfections, creating a beautiful and cohesive smile in the process. Bonding is less expensive than porcelain veneers, yet offers similar results. Unlike veneers, bonding isn’t permanent; therefore there’s room for correction.

If you’re embarrassed to show your smile in pictures, ask Dr. Thomas T. Teel and Thomas M. Gilbert about dental bonding or contouring. After a quick visit to our office, your smile will appear healthier and more attractive. A beautiful smile does wonders for confidence levels and can help you become more successful in romantic and professional relationships.

For teeth that are oddly shaped, Drs. Teel and Gilbert recommend dental contouring to completely reshape the appearance of the tooth. Although this procedure is simple, it produces drastic results in a single dental visit.

What’s Dental Bonding?

Drs. Teel and Gilbert use dental bonding to hide tooth imperfections. They use a tooth-colored composite resin to provide an aesthetic smile repair. Composite resin is composed of plastic and glass particles and can be tinted to create a custom color that matches your smile perfectly. After you receive this procedure, your friends and family will notice your beautiful smile, rather than focusing on the repaired tooth.

To begin this procedure, Drs. Teel and Gilbert will clean the flawed tooth. Then they will apply an acidic solution to the tooth, which will create a surface for the resin to bond to. This step, which is referred to as etching, creates a strong attachment between the resin and the tooth. Next, they will apply layers of the material onto the surface of the tooth. Each layer is carefully painted onto the tooth, to create a beautiful, new appearance. Composite resin is sculpted and smoothed between each layer.

For a durable repair, the resin is hardened with a special light. Before completing your dental bonding, Drs. Teel and Gilbert will trim excess material and polish the tooth. This procedure is completed in one dental visit, but the results are incredibly dramatic and long-lasting with proper care. Patients often report feeling like they have a brand new smile after receiving dental bonding at Family Dentistry and Aesthetics Inc.

How to Care for Your Bonding

After your bonding appointment, Drs. Teel and Gilbert will encourage you to avoid dark-colored foods and beverages. These can easily stain the hardened composite resin, which will alter your dental work. If you can, avoid using tobacco products, as they cause staining.

The best way to ensure long-lasting results is to attend biannual dental checkups. At your appointment, our dentist in Fort Wayne will inspect your bonding and if needed, recommend follow-up treatment.

To maintain a healthy, clean smile, we encourage you to brush each morning and night with toothpaste that contains fluoride. It’s important to floss between each tooth to remove bacteria and food particles. Not only will this ensure the longevity of your bonding, it will also promote good oral health.

What is Contouring?

Drs. Teel and Gilbert can completely change the shape of a tooth in approximately 30 minutes. Dental contouring includes gently removing a thin layer of tooth enamel to alter the unattractive shape of a tooth.

Some patients fear that they will experience pain during this procedure, however both bonding and contouring are comfortable procedures; therefore there’s no need for oral sedation or numbing.

If you’re looking for an easy smile enhancement procedure, that’s sure to produce drastic results, call (260) 432-0561 today to schedule your appointment in Fort Wayne, IN with Drs. Teel and Gilbert. We look forward to hearing from you.

New Patients & Emergency Appointments Welcome!