Direct Bonding – Portland, OR

Just One Appointment for a Better Smile

Smiling man

Making dramatic improvements to your teeth doesn’t have to be an extensive process. For minor dental flaws like dark spots and small chips, you can enjoy your enhanced smile sooner rather than later thanks to direct bonding. Dr. McInnis can take the same material used for fillings to restore your teeth and make them more dazzling. If you’re looking to fix your grin fast, contact RiverPlace Dental for a consultation today.

Who is a Good Candidate for Direct Bonding?

Closeup of smile

Before you make an appointment to ask about cosmetic treatment, it’s important to figure out exactly what kind of corrections you want to make. Direct bonding is a particularly versatile treatment that can be used to adjust a tooth’s size, shape, color, and overall proportion. It can be used to address the following issues:

Chipped teeth and craze lines (cracks that won’t cause any oral health issues but can still be distracting)
Shorter than average teeth
Discolored or stained teeth that fail to respond to whitening
Smalls gaps
Abnormally shaped teeth

Dr. McInnis will need to consider the severity of your aesthetic issues before deciding whether direct bonding would be the best solution. He’ll also confirm that the teeth that need to be treated are free of infection and have most (if not all) of their enamel intact.

How the Process Works

Smiling woman

Direct bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin to repair the teeth. After numbing the site and removing any damaged tissues, Dr. McInnis will apply a small amount of etchant material so that the resin will join more firmly with the enamel. After the resin has been shaped so that it matches the shape of the tooth, a special light is used to harden it in place. The final step is to smooth and polish your teeth; at the end of the procedure (which typically takes 30 minutes to an hour), you’ll have a much more beautiful smile that still looks natural.

Benefits of Direct Bonding

Dentist and patient shaking hands

Faster Treatment: Other cosmetic procedures, like porcelain veneers, require at least two visits, but direct bonding can be done in just one, and the treatment itself is normally completed in about an hour.
Affordable: Compared to other treatments that can address the same kind of flaws, the cost of dental bonding tends to be much lower.
Durable: If you take good care of your teeth, you can expect the effects of dental bonding to last for about 10 years before needing to be touched up.
Conservative Treatment: Little to no enamel needs to be removed during the procedure. That means in many cases anesthesia may not even be needed.

Taking Care of Your Smile After Bonding

Once direct bonding has been performed, the best way to maintain your tooth’s enhanced appearance is to continue practicing good oral hygiene – that is, brushing and flossing at least two times a day, or ideally after every meal. Also, avoid using tobacco, as it could easily create new stains.