Photo Gallery

 Composite bonding is the addition of a tooth coloured resin onto your tooth to enhance your current smile. It can be used to change the size, shape, angle, texture and colour of your teeth.
The great thing about composite is that in most cases the is no need to drill your teeth down and is the most minimally invasive cosmetic treatment after whitening. 

First we start with a consultation where I find out about you as a person and what makes you tick. I want to know exactly what would make you confident and happy in your smile and from that I devise a treatment plan which is sent to you. Normally we would whiten your teeth first to get them white and bright. Then we may do a trial smile to ensure you are happy with the shape and look of the teeth if using the Smilefast system. This is a really important stage as it makes sure you are entirely happy before we do the final treatment. If we are doing freehand bonding we will discuss desired outcomes before the final treatment.  This full process from start to finish can take as little as six weeks. 

Although rarely no tooth tissue is removed when composite is added, the tooth structure does need to be altered to allow the composite resin to stick. We do this by either/and using a chemical acid and bevel to 'roughen' the tooth up on a micro level. This means that although composite can be removed once added, it takes a lot of skill and time to remove it fully without slightly damaging the tooth enamel underneath. I would tend to encourage patients to see it as a irreversible process so they fully consider their options. 

If well maintained  - i.e. you see a dental professional/me once a year for a polish they will last 3 years minimum. The longevity will also be increased if you wear a guard at night to help protect against grinding and chipping of the composite. I would normally plan to replace the composite between the 5-8 year mark. This is something to consider, will you be able to finance replacement in that time frame. 

The properties of composite mean that it is very easy to recontour and add composite if it chips. However I always aim to treat patients where chipping risk is very low and if orthodontics would be preferable before bonding I would always recommended a referral to one of my colleagues. I am case selective and if I believe composite bonding is not your best option even if the treatment will not be with me I will refer as necessary so you have the best outcome.  

Although composite will never be as strong as enamel it can withstand most normal forces when we eat. Avoiding thing like hard caramel or pork scratching etc is a good idea however. Habits such as nail biting or using your teeth as shearing/tearing instruments will place your composite at risk. 

For the first week after having composite I will ask you to avoid highly staining foods such as curries, rich tomato sauces, red wine etc as the composite is going through a maturation stage and is high risk for staining. After this however you can do what you want.