About ten years ago, I got dental bonding on my two front teeth. The bonding filled in chips on both teeth. I decided to refresh the bonding since it was beginning to look yellow. Although my dentist was so confident that she could do the bonding, it is the wrong color. The bonding is stark white and looks a bit grainy. My dentist’s answer is it looks better than the old bonding.
Also, one tooth is longer than the other, so I asked her to save it down. Unfortunately, she shaved it too short. So, I have bonding that is too white, grainy, and one tooth is too short. Now my dentist says that sometimes it’s challenging to get bonding to match teeth perfectly. That’s her way of saying that she does not know what she is doing. This is shameful. My dentist asked me to let her try again, but this whole process is making me anxious. Other than this bonding work, I have loved my dentist. Is bonding that difficult? Should I give her another chance? Thank you. Jacqueline from Bronx, NY
Jacqueline,
Thank you for your question. Yes, bonding can be challenging for most dentists to complete—especially with front teeth. Dental bonding is an art. And dentists need training to understand which tools, materials, and techniques produce results that look real. Applying bonding to teeth is like painting a beautiful picture on a canvas. It takes time and skill.
Getting Bonding to Match on Front Teeth
Getting bonding to match on front teeth begins with a cosmetic dentist for several reasons:
- Cosmetic dentists who are skilled with bonding stock materials of varying color, texture, and translucence.
- They understand how to blend the materials to replicate your tooth color, texture, and structure.
- Some cosmetic dentists do it so well that you cannot distinguish the bonding from your natural teeth.
- Most dentists stick with what they were taught in dental school, which is not enough to give you beautiful results.
Cosmetic dentists also understand how a patient’s smile can affect them emotionally. They listen to the patient, prepare to meet how you want your smile to look, and match your expectations. If you are not happy with your smile, neither is a cosmetic dentist until they get it right.
Schedule a Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation
Bioclear flowable composite beautifully restores front teeth
We recommend scheduling a cosmetic consultation with a dentist who has advanced training in bonding techniques. Some cosmetic dentists use flowable composite for precise, predictable results. Regardless of which option you choose, find a cosmetic dentist who can show you photos of cases like yours and the results you can expect.
Rekha Reddy, DDS of Dallas, TX, sponsors this post.
