Bonding & Contouring
Bonding vs. Veneers
Bonding and veneers have similar results, but both have benefits and drawbacks.
Where veneers are thin layers of porcelain that have been custom made to fit perfectly over a patient’s teeth, bonding is not a custom product. In bonding, the dentist carefully applies a tooth-colored composite resin (which is the same material that comprises fillings) to cracks, chips, or spaces in the teeth. Think of dental bonding as “touching up” the teeth.
Because veneers have been custom fitted and constructed, they fit completely and perfectly over the teeth and provide a seamless, very realistic look. They’re also much stronger and longer-lasting than bonding. Where bonding may eventually chip or become stained, veneers are very resistant to discoloration and breakage.
One of the biggest benefits of dental bonding is that it is far less expensive than custom veneers. Another plus for many patients is that bonding is quick – it usually can be completed in one visit. Veneers take longer, as patients must be fitted for them, wait for the lab to make the veneers, and then come in to have the veneers applied.
Tooth and Gum Contouring
Another way that Dr. Staten can change the shape of your teeth is by using dental contouring to smooth the rough edges and straighten the crooked quirks of your smile. First, Dr. Staten makes sure that your teeth are strong and healthy enough to withstand contouring. Assuming that they are, she’ll use abrasion and laser technology to carefully shape your teeth.
Tooth contouring gently creates a more cohesive and unified looking teeth. It can erase the minor imperfections that bother you about your smile, usually in the span of one visit.
Gum contouring is an effective way to make naturally small teeth look larger. Portions of the gum are cut away, revealing the tooth surface underneath, making the teeth appear bigger. Because gums are soft tissue, this procedure is more involved and takes longer because the gums must be given time to heal. Usually, a local anesthetic is used so patients are comfortable during gum contouring.
