Composite bonding is a procedure whereby a tooth-coloured composite resin is sculpted and bonded on to the tooth, either covering parts of it or the whole surface like a veneer.

Composite bonding is ideal for patients who would like to improve the appearance of their smile but don’t need more substantial restorative procedures like veneers and crowns. Your dentist will assess your suitability at your initial consultation following a thorough examination of the health of your teeth and gums. If you wish to improve the colour of your teeth, your dentist may recommend whitening your teeth first, to allow the new composite bonding to match your whiter teeth. Ask your dentist about Enlighten whitening. It guarantees long lasting results with simple at-home maintenance.

The teeth are cleaned to remove any debris. The tooth is first etched to roughen the surface microscopically. An adhesive is then painted onto this surface and set using a bright light. A composite resin material is then sculpted in layers to the desired shape and size, and finally set using a bright light. The restoration is then finished and polished to resemble a natural tooth.

Most cases are completed pain-free and without the need for a local anaesthetic injection in a single appointment. For more complex cases involving multiple teeth or replacement of existing large restorations, we may need to use local anaesthestic. If you are very anxious, we can offer you sedation.

In most cases, no. Dental bonding is different to ceramic veneers which usually require some preparation of the tooth surface to create space for the porcelain veneer.

Most dentists do composite bonding using one shade of material. Although this works for most cases, there are cases, especially for larger build ups, where you would get a more aesthetic result using various shades of composite resin to give you more life-like results. Although, this makes treatment time slightly longer and a little more expensive, the end result is much better as the restoration looks indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Again, your dentist can discuss the different options with you and you can co-decide what is best for you.

As with any cosmetic dental procedure, composite bonding does not last forever and will eventually need replacing. Typically, we find composite bonding will look at its best for around 5 years. We have seen cases last for longer in patients who really follow maintenance instructions and look after their composite bonding.