The questions that patients usually ask are:
1. How much does a dental filling cost?
2. What is composite bonding and will it make my teeth look more even shaped and healthier? And is it cheaper than ceramic or porcelain veneers?
Composite bonding is a sub-branch of cosmetic dentistry where we place tooth-colored composite dental materials to the tooth/teeth to enhance aesthetics or to fill a cavity. It comes in tubes, different shades to match colour and feels like a white playdough. The dentist picks it up with a suitable filling instrument and places or adapts it to a cleaned tooth cavity.
How do we do it and who can get it done
1. Firstly need to make sure the mouth or the gums are healthy – there is no gum disease, bleeding gums etc
2. Secondly there are no deep cavities/ holes in the teeth that are close to the pulp/nerve.
Composite Bonding Versus Porcelain Veneers
Drawbacks
It’s not as natural and esthetic as porcelain It’s not as strong as porcelain Over time it will discolour and will need extra polishing, chip repairs.
Advantages
It is cheaper and quicker and usually can be done in 1-2 appointments
It is reversible Can be excellent for mild to moderate smile makeovers
Teeth conditions that can be best suited for composite bonding
Midline diastema – front tooth gap
Chipped front teeth – Repairs
Gum Recession and Toothbrush trauma
Tooth Decay
To change the shape of teeth – lengthen
Depending on the situation, mentioned above, the dentists decide what kind of material to use.
We routinely use composite materials for all minor tooth filings including back molars. It’s significantly cheaper than other materials: for example a front tooth cavity near the gum line is classified as single surface anterior tooth filling and that costs about $160.