Healthy enamel is necessary to keep your teeth healthy and your smile radiant!
When your enamel is lost or damaged, your teeth can become sensitive or discolored. Luckily, dentists can use tooth bonding to restore the strength of your teeth and prevent future damage.
What Causes Damaged Tooth Enamel?
There are many factors that can damage your tooth’s enamel. Eating certain acidic foods, certain medications, or even genetics can all be a factor in enamel damage. Some foods that can lead to enamel loss include soda, wine, lemons, oranges, and candy.
There can also be medical conditions that can cause tooth enamel damage over time. Acid reflux disease and gastrointestinal problems can both lead to tooth enamel damage.
Common Signs of Enamel Erosion
Individuals who suffer from enamel damage and erosion usually experience tooth sensitivity and tooth discoloration. Visual indications can also help identify enamel erosion. Cracks, chips, or indentations on the surface of a tooth could be a sign of enamel erosion. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of enamel damage, consider contacting a dental professional.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding for Enamel Loss
Dental bonding is often used in cases of enamel loss. The process of tooth bonding involves using a synthetic material to cover damaged areas. Bonding is color matched to your tooth’s color, so the finished product will look like a healthy, natural tooth.
If your damaged tooth has chips or dents, the synthetic material can also replace these areas to give your tooth a natural shape.
Dental Bonding Process
The first step in the cosmetic dental bonding procedure is to take dental x-rays. If you have any severe gun loss, tooth decay, or gum disease, you’ll need to correct those issues before you can be eligible for cosmetic dentistry.
Next, your dentist will match the shade of your tooth to composite resin. The material will need to be a similar color to your existing teeth to give it a natural-looking appearance. A color wheel is often used for this determination.
Your dentist will then prepare your tooth to allow the bonding to adhere correctly. This involves roughening the surface of the affected tooth.
The resin material will be applied to the area of enamel loss. In cases where teeth are chipped or nicked, the material will be shaped over the missing areas.
After the composite resin has been applied, the material needs to harden. A curing light is used to ensure the material bonds completely to the tooth.
Finally, your dentist will polish the material to create the final product. Adjustments will be made to ensure the finished appearance is a natural-looking tooth.
Dental Bonding Pros & Cons
Like with any cosmetic dentistry procedure, there are pros and cons to dental bonding. Some of the benefits of the process are as follows.
- No anesthesia is required
- The enamel does not need to be filled down, as is common in many other cosmetic dentistry solutions
- It is not as time-consuming as other dental procedures, usually, it can be finished within one visit
- It is similar and cheaper than many other cosmetic dentistry options
Some of the cons of dental bonding include the following.
- The materials are less durable
- The bonding material is less stain-resistant than other cosmetic dentistry options
When to Call the Doctor
Enamel is your tooth’s main defense against bacteria and other harmful conditions. You’ll want to contact your dentist if you think you might have enamel loss or are experiencing symptoms of enamel damage.
Dental bonding can prevent more enamel damage and harmful bacteria, so don’t hesitate to speak to a professional.
Have questions? Give East Valley Dental a call at 480-838-3033.