Composite Bonding
Conservative Aesthetics
Composite bonding has become a popular and conservative way to enhance your smile. This additive procedure requires little to no removal of natural tooth structure. Instead, a tooth-colored resin is carefully applied to the enamel to correct proportion, spacing, or wear.
When bonding makes sense
Composite bonding is best suited for small changes: repairing a chip, closing a minor space, refining an uneven edge, or restoring tooth structure lost through wear.
Not every aesthetic concern is best solved with bonding. Tooth position, gum architecture, and the bite may contribute to what we see and are sometimes better addressed through orthodontic, periodontal, or functional treatment. Conservative dentistry begins by understanding the underlying problem, then choosing the least invasive treatment capable of addressing it well.
A Conservative alternative
Composite is sometimes considered an alternative or precursor to porcelain. In appropriately selected cases, it can also serve as definitive treatment.
Its greatest advantage is not simply that treatment can be completed in a single visit. It is the ability to create meaningful change while preserving the underlying tooth.
When composite can accomplish the objective predictably, removing healthy enamel simply to accommodate porcelain may not be necessary.
Composite Or porcelain
Neither material is inherently better. The appropriate choice depends on what needs to change.
Composite is repairable, adjustable, and highly conservative. It can often be added without removing healthy enamel. Its limitations are material ones: over time, composite may stain, lose surface polish, chip, or require repair or replacement.
Porcelain offers greater color stability and resistance to wear and staining, but represents a more permanent commitment to the tooth.
When either treatment could achieve the desired result, Dr. Bui considers the amount of healthy tooth structure involved, the extent of the change, the bite, and the patient's long-term goals before recommending one over the other.