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Chipped, gappy, small teeth? Composite bonding restorations may be the answer for you

What are composites?

Composites are tooth coloured filling materials which can be sculpted and bonded onto your teeth directly by the dentist to help close spaces, repair chips or fractures in teeth and increase the size of your teeth to achieve better proportions and symmetry.

Will I need an injection?

As long as there is no decay in the tooth, the composite bonding can be done with no drilling and therefore no injection is needed to numb the tooth beforehand.

How long will they last?

Nothing lasts forever, but if done well in the right cases, they can last 5-10 years, and may only require a touch-up polishing with your routine dental visits.

What does the procedure involve?

Following a full assessment of your teeth, gums and bite, if it is assessed that composites are the appropriate treatment for you the dentist will choose a matching colour of composite to your teeth. Following this the dentist will need to isolate your teeth from any moisture, and then mould the composite filling material into the spaces/chipped areas to improve the cosmetic appearance of the teeth. This is set into place with a light. The dentist will then spend some time polishing the fillings so that they are smooth, shiny and natural looking.

What if I want to whiten my teeth?

Composite fillings do not whiten so if you wish your teeth to be whiter you would first need to whiten your teeth, and following completion of the whitening procedure you can then have the composite bonding done at the new whiter shade of your teeth.

Is it expensive?

This is dependant on how many fillings are being done, and the size of the fillings. The dentist can discuss this with you in your consultation. However, they are significantly cheaper than porcelain veneers which give you great results but most often require drilling of the tooth and therefore are an irreversible procedure. They are a great option for someone who is looking to enhance their smile at an affordable price without going through a major procedure which will require shaving the teeth down/injections.