Dental bonding, Raleigh
Bonding: the smaller fix we try before veneers.
Bonding is tooth-coloured composite resin shaped directly onto the tooth, hardened with a light and polished until it disappears. It fixes a chip, closes a small gap or rebuilds a worn edge in one visit, with little or no enamel removed.
It is the first thing we reach for, because for many front teeth it does the job and leaves the tooth as it was underneath. Results vary.
- One visit, usually under two hours, no laboratory
- Little or no enamel removed; most bonding is reversible
- Shaped and polished by Dr. Castellanos until the edge disappears
- Porcelain versus bonding compared plainly, below
- A written plan with the fee before anything is done
Or call (919) 555-0137 Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Who this is for, and who it is not
Bonding is small by nature. That is its strength and its limit.
Not for
A tooth that needs a lot of shape change
Composite in thick layers looks dull and chips. A short tooth that needs rebuilding end to end is usually a porcelain case.
Heavy grinders without a guard
Composite wears faster than enamel under a clenching bite. A night guard, or a conversation about porcelain.
Teeth you want much whiter
Composite is matched to the tooth beside it and does not bleach afterwards. Whiten first, then bond to the new colour.
Very dark teeth you want covered
Dark colour shows through thin composite. Porcelain hides it better.
Good for
A chipped corner or edge
The most common bonding case. Rebuilt in a visit, usually with no drilling.
A small gap between front teeth
Composite added to the sides of two teeth closes a gap of a millimetre or two convincingly.
Worn or uneven edges
Edges lengthened a little and evened out, with the bite checked so they stay.
A test before veneers
Bonding can act as a long trial of a new shape on a tooth that may become a veneer later. Nothing is lost if you do not go further.
Porcelain versus bonding
The comparison nobody in Raleigh publishes, in one table.
Both are good treatments. They are good for different teeth, and the honest version of this page says which.
| Question | Bonding (composite) | Porcelain veneer |
|---|---|---|
| Visits | One | Several over a few weeks, including the trial smile |
| Enamel removed | Little or none | A few tenths of a millimetre in most cases; none in a no-prep case |
| Reversible | Usually | Usually not |
| Made by | The dentist, in your mouth | Anders, on the bench, from the wax plan |
| Stain resistance | Lower; composite picks up colour over years | Higher; glazed porcelain stays close to its shade |
| Typical lifespan | Shorter, and easy to repair or redo | Longer with care, and replaced rather than patched |
| Best for | A chip, a small gap, a worn edge, a test of a new shape | Several teeth, large shape change, deep staining, old bonding that has discoloured |
| Cost | Lower per tooth | Higher per tooth; see the veneers cost page |
Lifespans are described in general terms on purpose. Both depend on your bite, your habits and your gums. Results vary.
The visit
What happens in the chair, in order.
-
1
The shade
Composite comes in many tints. Dr. Castellanos picks the ones that match the tooth beside it at the window, and layers two or three for depth. If you want the teeth whiter, that is done first on a separate visit.
-
2
The surface
The enamel is cleaned and lightly roughened with a mild gel so the composite grips. In most chip and gap cases nothing is drilled. Numbing is rarely needed and is offered if you want it.
-
3
The shaping
Composite goes on in thin layers, each hardened with a blue light. This is the slow part. The shape is built past the final outline, then carved back.
-
4
The polish
The bite is checked and adjusted, then the surface is polished through finer and finer grades until the join is invisible in daylight. You check it in the mirror before you leave.
The person
Theo does most of the bonding, slowly.
Dr. Theo Castellanos, a general dentist here since 2021, does most of the bonding in the studio. A bonded edge from Theo is shaped and polished until it disappears, which takes longer than most offices allow for it. He is the first person a chipped tooth sees, and the one who will tell you when a tooth has outgrown bonding and needs porcelain.
A chip from last night? Call. Priya will find a bonding visit this week and tell you what to do with the tooth in the meantime.
(919) 555-0137Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Care and touch-ups
How bonding is kept, and what happens when it chips.
Day to day
Brush and floss as for any tooth. Avoid biting nails, pens and ice with the bonded edge. A non-abrasive paste keeps the polish.
Staining
Composite picks up colour from coffee, red wine and tobacco over years. A polish at a hygiene visit with Keisha brings most of it back; a worn surface is re-polished or re-layered.
A chip
Bonding is repaired by adding composite to what is there, usually in one short visit. This is its real advantage over porcelain: it is patched, not replaced.
When it is time for porcelain
If an edge keeps chipping, the shape wanted is larger than composite will hold, or the colour has drifted, we say so and plan a veneer, with the trial smile first.
Before you book
Questions people ask about bonding before they book.
Anything else, call (919) 555-0137. Priya answers.
Is bonding cheaper than veneers?
Per tooth, yes, usually by a wide margin, and it needs no laboratory work. It also lasts less long and is repaired more often. The written plan gives the fee for your teeth; we do not publish figures because a figure without a plan is a guess.
Does bonding damage your teeth?
Very little. In most chip and gap cases nothing is drilled; the enamel is cleaned and lightly roughened with a gel. If the bonding is removed later the tooth is close to how it was. That is the main reason we try it first.
How long does dental bonding last?
Several years is common, longer with care and a kind bite, less with grinding or biting hard things. It is repaired rather than replaced, so a chip does not mean starting again. Results vary.
Can bonding fix a gap between my front teeth?
Small gaps, yes, by adding composite to the sides of the two teeth. Larger gaps make the teeth look too wide when closed with composite alone, and aligners or veneers come into the conversation. We say which at the consultation.
What are composite veneers?
Bonding over the whole front face of a tooth rather than one edge. It is the same material and the same visit, used to change colour and shape across the tooth. It suits one or two teeth well; for a whole smile, porcelain usually lasts better and the veneers page explains why.
Next step
Start with the smaller fix.
Book a consultation and we will tell you whether the tooth is a bonding case or a porcelain case, in writing, before anything is done.