What should I know about the dental bonding process?

Before the bonding process: Dental bonding does not require much advanced planning. In addition, anesthesia is often not needed unless bonding is used to fill a decayed tooth.

The bonding process: Your dentist will use a shade guide to select a composite resin — a durable plastic material — that closely matches the color of your tooth. The surface of the tooth is roughened and a conditioning liquid is applied. These steps help the bonding substance stick to the tooth. Then the tooth-colored, putty-like resin material is applied, molded, and smoothed to the desired shape on the tooth. Next, the resin is hardened with a special light, which “bonds” the material to the surface of the tooth. Finally, your dentist will trim, shape, and polish the bonded material to match the gloss of the rest of the tooth/teeth.

How long it takes to complete: The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete.