Nature doesn't guarantee perfect smiles. Sometimes, accident or wear and tear change the appearance of our teeth so much that it's embarrassing to show them in public. At The Scarsdale Dentist in the Westchester area, Dr. Jeffrey Pike uses a material called composite resin to reshape chipped, gapped and crooked teeth in a single visit. Economical, enamel-sparing and durable, tooth-bonding resin adheres to healthy teeth, improving resiliency, size, and texture.

It's really an art

Your cosmetic dentist not only has the tools and skills to deliver a picture-perfect smile, he has the artistic eye to compliment your smile width, facial appearance and tooth shape and color. At The Scarsdale Dentist, a cosmetic dentistry consultation with Dr. Pike will ensure your smile is healthy enough for aesthetic services, and it will help you define your individual goals.

Tooth bonding in Westchester

Over the past few decades, composite resin bonding has become one of the most popular aesthetic services dentistry has to offer. What is it, and what can it accomplish for the "average" dental patient?

Well, tooth bonding is also called direct bonding or composite resin bonding. A simple, pain-free and quick smile enhancement accomplished in one visit to The Scarsdale Dentist, bonding remakes small smile flaws. Not extensive enough for porcelain crowns or veneers, these defects respond to the naturally-colored material Dr. Pike applies, sculpts, and hardens on selected tooth surfaces.

Flaws addressed by bonding include:

• Small chips
• Hairline fractures
• Gaps between teeth
• Mild overcrowding
• Pitting

In addition, dentists use this blend of glass and acrylic to restore decay and to install splints (permanent retainers) and other dental devices.

Dentists and patients praise composite resin for its natural appearance and durability. While not as strong as a crowned tooth, a bonded tooth will withstand biting and chewing forces for up to ten years. And, it requires less enamel removal than the crowning or veneer process does.

The treatment

It begins with a light buffing of the areas to be treated. Then, Dr. Pike applies a mild etching chemical which ensures the bond between the tooth enamel and composite resin. Next, he layers on the resin, hardening each layer with a blue curing light. This additive process creates a seamless attachment between the tooth and the resin. With a final shaping and polishing, the tooth is remade.

Other benefits

Direct bonding helps youngsters who have chipped or fractured their teeth. Often a temporary repair, bonding allows immature tooth pulp to recede as the child grows, and then, Dr. Pike can place a permanent restoration such as a crown or veneer.

Finally, resin does not decay. However, it can stain. So if bonding is part of your smile makeover, you should have your teeth whitened first so the dentist can match the resin to the rest of your smile.

Learn more

We think you'll like direct bonding. Why not contact The Scarsdale Dentist in the Westchester area to learn the details? Call today (914) 725-0707.