With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you’ll likely soon be surrounded by family and food. A banquet table makes a great place for bonding; unfortunately it can be difficult to do so with a smile on your face when you’re insecure because of problems with your teeth. If you find yourself looking forward to quality time, but self-conscious about expressing your joy, cosmetic dentistry could help. Simple, fast and affordable procedures, like bonding and contouring, can give you a smile you’ll not only be thankful for, but one you’ll want to show the world, especially the people that matter most.
What Are Cosmetic Bonding and Contouring?
Though bonding is less well-known than veneers, it is a cosmetic treatment that accomplishes many of the same goals. Bonding can be used to correct the shape or size of disproportional or oddly-shaped teeth, hide gaps between two teeth, and even cover permanent staining. It can also be used to smooth jagged or worn edges.
However, unlike veneers, bonding is even more affordable and quicker to complete, because it doesn’t rely on custom-made porcelain prosthetics. Instead, bonding allows your cosmetic dentist to sculpt a composite resin onto your teeth, in order to correct the cosmetic concerns. The dentist then hardens the material using a special light, and polishes it so it imitates teeth’s natural sheen, resulting in a natural-looking enhancement, that is often finished in less than an hour.
Contouring is similar to bonding, in that it can be performed during a single office visit, but it is used to correct teeth that are overly large or slightly overlapping. During contouring, the dentist carefully etches away portions of the teeth that are disproportional, helping to create a more uniform smile.