Have you dealt with a chipped tooth for years and are finally ready to fix it, but don’t want to drastically alter your tooth? Tooth bonding and contouring are minor cosmetic treatments that improve the shape, texture, size, and appearance of teeth through minimal changes to your tooth structure. Bonding is the process of securing tooth-colored composite resin to a tooth, then sculpting, hardening, and polishing the resin to build up the tooth’s structure. By contrast, contouring describes removing small amounts of the tooth’s enamel by lightly sculpting its surface.
Your Consultation
During your cosmetic consultation, Dr. Noble will carefully examine your smile, paying special attention to the teeth that need improvement. In many cases, tooth bonding and contouring are preferred because they allow us to preserve a maximum amount of your healthy tooth structure. One or both procedures may be recommended to correct smiles that exhibit one or more of the following:
- Stubborn teeth stains
- Chipped teeth
- Spaces between teeth
- Slightly overlapping teeth
- Jagged tooth edges
- And more
However, some cosmetic blemishes and serious dental damage may require a more involved solution, such as dental crowns or lifelike porcelain veneers.
Treatment Planning
To perform dental bonding, Dr. Noble will carefully prepare the tooth by lightly etching its surface to make the adhesive more effective. After placing the custom-tinted resin on your tooth, she will artfully sculpt the material to blend in with your tooth’s ideal contour. Once satisfied with the shape of the bonding, Dr. Noble will cure the material to harden it, then polish the bonding for a natural, attractive finish.
To perform tooth contouring, Dr. Noble may administer local anesthesia, though the procedure is minor enough that many patients don’t need to numb their tooth first. Contouring is restricted to the tooth’s enamel, since altering the tooth’s main structure (called dentin) may affect the tooth’s strength and integrity.
Visit Dr. Noble’s Office in Highland Park Today!
Dr. Natalee Noble and the staff of Noble Dentistry in Dallas, TX are more than just a team of dental professionals; they’re a family, and one that grows with every new patient! To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling today at 214-522-3110.