Kids trip on the playground, collide at practice and bite down on things they shouldn’t. When a tooth ends up chipped, dental bonding is often the simplest way to fix it. Our pediatric dentists in San Antonio use a tooth-colored resin, shaded to match your child’s enamel, to rebuild the missing piece so the tooth looks and works like itself again.
What is dental bonding?
Bonding is a putty-like, tooth-colored material that sticks to the surface of the tooth. Your child’s dentist sculpts it by hand, hardens it with a special light and polishes it smooth. Because it attaches directly to the enamel, little or none of the healthy tooth needs to be removed.
We commonly use bonding to:
- Repair small chips and broken edges on front teeth
- Cover rough spots or minor enamel defects
- Close small gaps or reshape a tooth that came in oddly
- Smooth a sharp edge that is rubbing a lip or tongue
Bonding works on both baby teeth and permanent teeth. For a larger break, or a tooth with a cavity underneath, Fillings or Dental Crowns usually work better.
What happens during a bonding visit
First we look at the tooth and, when needed, take Digital X-Rays to make sure the root and nerve weren’t affected. Next, the tooth is cleaned and lightly prepared so the resin can grip. Your child’s dentist then adds the material in thin layers, shaping each one before hardening it with the light. A final polish blends the repair into the rest of the tooth.
Small repairs often don’t need numbing at all. If the chip is close to the nerve or your child is sensitive, we’ll use Local Anesthesia to keep the area comfortable. Most repairs take one short visit.
Is bonding a good choice after an injury?
It often is, but timing matters. If your child chipped a tooth today, call us so we can check it soon. A broken tooth can sometimes hide an injury to the nerve or root that isn’t visible right away. Our Dental Trauma and Emergency Dentistry pages explain what to do in the first hours after an accident, including saving any broken piece you find.
Caring for a bonded tooth
Bonding is durable, but it isn’t quite as hard as natural enamel. A few habits help it last:
- Avoid biting fingernails, pencils, ice or hard candy with the repaired tooth.
- Brush gently along the gumline twice a day.
- Wear a mouth guard for contact sports; ask us about Mouth Guards.
- Come in for regular checkups so we can polish or touch up the bonding as needed.
How long does dental bonding last on a child’s tooth?
Bonding can last for years, though it may chip or stain over time and need a touch-up. On a growing child, we may also update the repair as the tooth and gums mature.
Does bonding require numbing?
Not always. Many small cosmetic repairs are done without it. If numbing will make your child more comfortable, we’ll use it.
Will the bonded tooth look different from the others?
We match the shade to your child’s own enamel, so the repair is usually very hard to notice. Bonding doesn’t whiten, so it’s matched to the tooth as it is now.
Related: Fillings, Dental Trauma, Esthetic Crowns, Restorative Dentistry