Cosmetic Dental Bonding

In most cases, no. When bonding is being applied without removing any tooth structure (which is the case for most cosmetic bonding), no anesthesia is needed. If decay is present and needs to be removed before bonding, local anesthesia may be used for that portion.

Composite resin comes in dozens of shades, and Dr. Burton selects the color carefully to match your surrounding natural tooth color. Under normal lighting conditions, properly matched bonding is essentially invisible. Color matching is done at the beginning of the appointment before the composite is selected and applied.

Whitening should ideally be done before bonding, not after. Composite resin does not whiten with bleaching agents. If you whiten after bonding, your natural teeth will lighten but the bonding will remain at its original shade, creating a potential color mismatch. Plan the sequence with Dr. Burton at your consultation.

When bonding is for cosmetic purposes only (correcting appearance without a functional problem), it is generally not covered by dental insurance. When bonding repairs a chipped or fractured tooth (a functional restoration), it may be covered as a composite resin restoration. We'll review your benefits and give you a clear cost estimate before treatment.