Your front teeth are your presentation letter.
Thus, any noticeable gap between them will have an enormous impact on your appearance and overall aesthetics. These gaps not only affect how you look but also hinder your hygiene by trapping food and debris and altering your teeth’s function.
Find out in this article how dentists, with bonding, can fill gaps in your teeth, the benefits, the procedure, and what you can expect from it.
Understanding Dental Bonding for Gaps
Dental bonding is a cosmetic dental procedure where your dentist uses a tooth-colored material called composite to repair your damaged teeth. This dental composite is a versatile biocompatible material that bonds to your tooth’s structure for multiple dentistry purposes.
The main objective of dental bonding is to repair and correct chipped, decayed, stained, or cracked teeth. However, nowadays, bonding is also often used to fill gaps between teeth.
How Does Dental Bonding Work for Filling Gaps in Teeth?
A dental composite attaches to your teeth through a biomechanical connection called dental adhesion. After that process, your dentist can design and mold the material to give it the desired shape and color to match your natural teeth.
Fortunately, composite is a highly versatile material that allows dentists to work with detail and care. When the form and structure are ready, your dentist uses a specialized LED lamp that hardens the resin, restoring function and appearance.
Benefits of Dental Bonding for Gaps
In contrast to other cosmetic alternatives for dental gaps, dental bonding requires minimal to no tooth enamel removal. Other treatments, such as veneers or crowns, serve similar purposes but need considerable tooth wear to allow space for the new material.
Additionally, composite resin procedures are highly cost-effective, as they provide an excellent appearance in a quick procedure while delivering outstanding results.
The Dental Bonding Procedure
Initial Consultation with a Dentist
The first step of the process is a complete and comprehensive examination. During this stage, your dentist will determine your general oral health state, discuss your goals, and address additional necessary treatments.
With the appropriate evaluation and diagnosis, your dentist can determine an efficient and functional treatment plan to correct your teeth’s gap.
Preparing the Teeth for Bonding: Tooth surface preparation involves a process that includes cleaning your teeth and roughening their surfaces with mild abrasion.
Also, your dental surfaces require a conditioning liquid application to help the bonding material attach to your teeth.
Application of the Bonding Material: Once the dental surface is prepared and conditioned, your dentist can start molding and applying the resin material. Usually, this procedure requires multiple composite layers to allow a solid structure and an aesthetic result.
Your dentist can also use matrices, multiple composite colors, and various specialized instruments to give the material the appropriate shape and contour to fill the gap while being unnoticeable.
Shaping and Polishing the Bonded Teeth: When the material is shaped and hardened, your dentist uses specialized burs, disks, and rubbers to give it its final form.
Finally, the last step of the procedure is a polishing process that gives the composite a smooth finish and a natural appearance.
Cost and Considerations
Factors that Influence the Cost of Dental Bonding for Gaps
The principal factor that can affect your dental bonding cost is the extent of the restoration. The more composite required, the more expensive the treatment. Also, your dentist’s expertise, your location, and the previous procedures needed can affect your final budget.
Usually, dental bonding for gaps can range from $200 to $600, depending on the previous factors.
Insurance Coverage for Dental Bonding
It is difficult to determine if your dental insurance covers dental bonding procedures. Although most dental insurance will cover the entire treatment, others might meet partial percentages.
However, most dental clinics have financing options and feasible loans that allow you to obtain your dental treatment without breaking the bank. Yet, you should always consult your dental insurance for clear coverage and possible limitations.
Aftercare and Maintenance of Bonded Teeth
Your dental bonding restorations require minimal aftercare. Yet, your dentist will recommend avoiding chewing hard foods and staining drinks and meals, while maintaining good oral hygiene. Hence, with an excellent oral hygiene routine, you can prolong your bonded restorations for many years.
Unfortunately, most dental bonding will need replacement eventually. Therefore, you must attend your regular dental check-ups to ensure your bonding material is in great condition.
Expected Results and Aftercare
What to Expect After Dental Bonding for Gaps: The final result should be an unnoticeable tooth-alike restoration that replicates your natural teeth’s function and look while providing you space to clean between them with dental floss.
Also, you might experience some mild temporary sensitivity after the procedure. However, this discomfort disappears quickly after a few days, and it usually does not require further dental attention.
Tips for Maintaining the Bonded Teeth: The principal advice for maintaining your dental bonding in great shape is to avoid staining foods and drinks. Coffee, wine, dark soda, and tobacco can alter your teeth’ color, creating a noticeable contrast and undesired result.
Potential Risks and Complications of Dental Bonding for Gaps: Without proper care, your bonding restorations can chip, break, or experience discoloration. Also, without good oral hygiene, your teeth can develop decay or gum disease, making you lose all your hard work.
Occasionally, your bonding might require minor touch-ups or a new polishing process to look new and prevent complications.
Conclusion
Dental bonding is a versatile cosmetic dental treatment that allows your dentist to fill your teeth gap while making it unnoticeable. Although their prices can vary depending on many factors, they have multiple functional and aesthetic advantages when compared with other alternatives.
Moreover, dental bonding is a quick and cost-effective solution for your teeth gaps, with excellent natural results and no enamel removal.
