Dental Bonding
A quick, affordable fix for chips and gaps.
Dental bonding uses tooth-coloured resin to repair chips, gaps and minor flaws in a single visit.
When to Choose Bonding
For small cosmetic fixes; for bigger changes consider veneers. Compare veneers vs bonding.
Care
Avoid staining foods to keep it looking fresh.
The Most Conservative Cosmetic Treatment There Is
Bonding builds tooth-coloured composite resin directly onto the tooth, sculpted by hand and cured with light, in a single appointment. In many cases no tooth structure is removed at all.
That makes it the honest first answer to a chipped edge, a small gap, or a worn incisal edge — long before anyone reaches for veneers, and far before crowns.
What It Does Well
Repairing a chipped corner. Closing a small diastema. Rebuilding an edge worn by grinding. Masking a localised white or brown spot. Reshaping a peg-shaped lateral incisor. Covering an exposed root surface after recession.
It is also completely reversible in the cases where no enamel was cut — a claim neither veneers nor crowns can make.
What It Does Not Do
It will not survive heavy bite forces indefinitely. It stains, in a way ceramic does not: coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco discolour composite, particularly at the margins.
It cannot lighten the underlying tooth — whiten first, wait two weeks for the shade to settle, then bond to the new colour. And it will not straighten crowded teeth; that is orthodontics. See whitening vs veneers.
Bonding, Veneers or Crowns?
| Tooth removed | Lifespan | Repairable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonding | Often none | 3–7 years | Yes, chairside |
| Porcelain veneer | 0.3–0.7 mm | 10–15 years | Usually replaced |
| Crown | 1.5–2 mm all round | 10–15+ years | Replaced |
Start at the top of that table. Every row down removes more tooth, permanently. See veneers vs bonding.
Making It Last
Do not bite nails, ice or packaging. Wear a night guard if you grind. Limit staining drinks or rinse with water after them. Have it polished at your six-monthly visit — polishing restores much of the lost lustre.
When it eventually stains or chips, it is repaired or replaced without touching the tooth beneath. That is the whole point.
This page provides general information and does not replace professional dental advice. A binding plan follows clinical examination and imaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
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