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M.J. Hendrickson, D.D.S. View Info		Enter Your Zip Code: How did you hear about us? Select One TV Radio Billboard Magazine Other What is the dental bonding procedure? Dental bonding is a procedure that uses a composite resin to restore and reshape damaged and decayed teeth in a variety of manners. Bonding can be used for everything from removing stains to closing gaps in teeth to correcting crooked or misshapen teeth. A cosmetic dentist will apply a bonding material to your tooth, shape and sculpt it and then harden the material using a high-intensity light. The resulting new surface is then finely polished. Composite bonds can last from seven to eleven years. Minor dental bonding procedures can usually be completed in one office visit for small fixes and for replacing fillings. More complicated bonding procedures can require additional time and visits and may involve the casting of a mold and the use of temporary fillings while the permanent bond is cast by the lab. These types of bonds are usually made of porcelain, color-matched to your existing teeth and provide a durable and stain resistant solution to your problem. What is the dental bridges procedure? A dental bridge is basically a false tooth (also known as a pontic) which is placed in the space left by a missing tooth. Porcelain crowns on either side of the tooth are bonded with resin to the pontic in what is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed Bridges, once inserted, cannot be taken out of the mouth. For this reason, a commitment to serious dental hygiene is necessary to maintain them. Another type of bridge is the Cantilever Bridge. This type of bridges is better for areas of the mouth like the front teeth that do not bear the brunt of heavy chewing. Bridges reduce the risk of gum disease and help correct some bite issues. They can last as many as ten years. What is dental tooth contouring and tooth reshaping procedure? Tooth contouring and reshaping is a relatively simple and pain-free way to achieve a pleasant smile without the need for invasive procedures. The procedure can correct chipped, cracked, crooked and even overlapping teeth in as little as one office visit. Reshaping and contouring can even be a replacement for braces in certain circumstances. The changes made to teeth are minor and subtle and are ideal for correcting minor imperfections in an otherwise healthy smile. These corrections are generally made to the length, shape and apparent position of your teeth. Jagged edges and angles can be rounded out and rough or grooved surfaces can be smoothed over. Reshaping and contouring involves scraping away a very small amount of the surface enamel of your tooth to create better placement and alignment. However a tooth can become weaker if large amounts of enamel are removed so this procedure is often used in combination with bonding and veneers to achieve a full, beautiful smile.