Composite Bonding

This depends on how well you look after your teeth. After the bonding, factors such as grinding and smoking can affect the bonding.

Generally, a well bonded tooth will look it’s very best for between 4 and 7 years.  It is recommended that you see your hygienist every 6 months to maintain healthy gums and teeth and see your dentist once a year.

Where bonding is required due to tooth wear, a night guard is a good idea to prevent further wear, and protect your new smile.

Although Dental Bonding can be used for a number of situations, the main drawback of bonding is that it is not as strong long-term as other restorative materials such as ceramics (veneers and crowns), and it can chip or stain at the margins.  In general bonding will need to be periodically repaired or replaced.

No. Bonding won’t harm your teeth. Bonding, however, does require good oral hygiene and healthy gums to work properly.

What we do find at Widcombe Dental is that after bonding, patients really like their new smile and tend to look after their teeth more. So, you could say that bonding is actually good for your teeth….

Dental bonding won’t whiten (which is also true for veneers and crowns) so if you are looking to whiten your teeth, we recommend that this is done prior to starting the bonding process.

The general cost of Composite Bonding is from £275 per surface but can vary depending on the complexity of the work required, and whether a trial smile is required where we use laboratory guided smile design.

Yes, you can eat normally immediately after composite bonding. Avoid very hard foods (ice, hard sweets) and staining foods/drinks for 48 hours. Good oral hygiene will help your bonding last longer.

Composite bonding is applied directly to teeth in one visit, costs less (£250 vs £800+), and is reversible. Veneers require tooth preparation, take 2-3 weeks, but last longer (10-15 years vs 5-10 years).

No, composite bonding is painless and usually requires no anaesthetic. The procedure is minimally invasive with no drilling in most cases. You may feel slight sensitivity for 24-48 hours afterwards.

Care for bonded teeth like natural teeth: brush twice daily, floss regularly, avoid biting hard objects, and attend regular dental check-ups. Professional cleaning every 6 months helps maintain appearance.