Composite Bonding

For a subtle smile transformation that offers the ultimate finish, we recommend composite bonding.

At Deansgate Dental Studio, our highly skilled cosmetic dentistry team can help transform your smile in just one appointment with the help of composite bonding. This minimally-invasive cosmetic treatment doesn’t require any needles or drilling, and can take a smile from happy to practically perfect.

What is composite bonding?

Composite bonding uses a composite resin material that can be shade-matched to your natural teeth and then sculpted into shape by our team. Composite bonding can be used on just one tooth to cover a chip or breakage, or across several teeth to provide a uniform look and the ultimate finish. It is often also used to complement teeth straightening or teeth whitening treatments as part of a smile makeover.

What issues can composite bonding address?

We can use composite bonding on issues such as small cracks, chips, and gaps in the smile, general wear and tear, uneven shape of the teeth, and even some minor overlapping issues.

How is this treatment applied?

The treatment will usually start with a cleaning and polish to ensure the tooth surface is in an optimal condition to receive the bonding material. We may then have to remove or reduce any existing fillings before applying a gel to the tooth enamel, followed by dental bond. This will be set in place using a special blue light, before we layer on the composite material. Each layer is also set in place with the use of blue light.

Is there any drilling involved?

This is a minimally-invasive treatment that rarely requires the use of drilling. In some situations, however, we may have to address tooth positioning problems which could require the use of a drill. We’ll always talk this through with you prior to receiving the treatment, and make sure you’re aware of everything that is going to happen during your appointment.

Does composite bonding require the use of local anaesthetic?

This minimally-invasive treatment doesn’t often require the use of local anaesthetic, and in fact should be completely pain-free. In some more complex cases, or instances of combined treatment such as filling replacement, we may use local anaesthetic to ensure you’re comfortable throughout.

What happens after?

You’re likely to notice and be extra aware of your new tooth surface after receiving your composite bonding, but you can eat, drink, and brush your teeth as normal immediately afterwards. We do recommend taking extra care when eating and chewing, however, and that you pay extra attention to cleaning the gum line when brushing your teeth. This is most easily achieved by simply using a good electric toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste.

Patients who have been recommended wearing a retainer or night-time protector against teeth grinding should wear these nightly. These will help protect your teeth and hopefully prevent any wear and tear on the newly applied composite bonding.

Can composite bonding be whitened?

Composite bonding cannot be whitened using teeth whitening treatments, so if you are looking to use both treatments, you must always whiten your teeth first, then complete a composite bonding treatment. Teeth whitening products must be avoided for at least 21 days leading up to your composite bonding treatments, as whitening products can affect the strength of the bond.

Can composite bonding be used to realign misaligned teeth?

In some cases, we may be able to use composite bonding to correct a misaligned smile, but only in very minor misalignment cases. More often than not, we would recommend an orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign or SureSmile to correct your smile before finishing up with composite bonding to ensure your smile is completely even and symmetrical.