Treatment 04 of 06

Cosmetic bonding

Tooth-coloured resin, shaped by hand in one visit, for chips, small gaps and worn edges.

Typically lasts: 4 to 8 years
Visits: Usually 1 visit
Can it be undone?: Mostly
Price: From $300 per tooth

Dentist using a curing light on a patient's front teeth while the patient wears tinted safety glasses

What it is

In plain words.

Bonding adds composite resin to a tooth and sculpts it into shape. It is quick, usually needs no freezing, and keeps your natural enamel. It is our first suggestion for one or two chips, small gaps, and edges worn down over time.

The honest part

Resin is softer than porcelain. It picks up some stain over the years and can chip again, so plan on a yearly polish and the odd repair. Bonding lasts 4 to 8 years on average, sometimes longer. It is easy to redo, which is part of why we like it.

Before

After

Illustration, not a patient: a chipped front edge, then the edge rebuilt in resin. Real cases, photographed the same way every time, are shown at your consult.

Is it right for you?

A good fit, and when it isn't.

Usually a good fit for

One or two chips
Small gaps between front teeth
Worn or uneven edges
Trying a new shape before committing to veneers

Think twice, or talk to us first, if

Heavy grinding. Resin chips more easily.
Big colour changes across many teeth
Teeth that are badly broken or have large fillings

How it works

Visit by visit.

Usually 1 visit. Times are typical; your plan lists your own dates.

Visit 1

Consult and shade

We look at the tooth, talk about the shape you want and match the resin shade by the window.
Same visit or the next

Bonding

A light roughening, resin added in thin layers, each hardened with a curing light, then shaped and polished. About 45 to 60 minutes per tooth.
Every cleaning

Polish

A quick polish keeps the shine and catches small chips early.

What it costs

$300 to $1,100 per tooth.

Chip or edge repair One tooth, one visit $300 to $450
Gap closing Per tooth, usually both sides of a gap $400 to $650
Composite veneer The full front surface in resin $700 to $1,100
Yearly polish and touch-up At your cleaning visit $90 to $180

Bonding to repair a broken tooth is sometimes partly covered. Purely cosmetic bonding usually is not. We tell you which is which.

Every plan includes

Shade matched with you in daylight
No drilling for most chip repairs
Polish and bite check before you leave
Small touch-ups in the first 3 months at no charge

Example payment

$88 / month

For bonding on 2 teeth at $1,000, over 12 months at 9.9% APR. An example only; lender rates depend on approval. Stage payments with no interest are also available.

Run your own numbers

How long it lasts

Honestly: 4 to 8 years.

That is an average. A yearly polish and quick repairs keep bonding looking fresh.

Helping it last

Avoid biting nails, pens and ice
Rinse after coffee, tea and wine
A polish at each cleaning
Tell us about any chip early. Small fixes are quick.

Porcelain veneers

10 to 15+ years

Teeth whitening

6 months to 3 years

Cosmetic bonding

4 to 8 years

Invisalign clear aligners

Holds with nightly retainers

Porcelain crowns

10 to 15+ years

Typical ranges for healthy mouths with good care, not promises. Grinding, smoking, diet and cleanings all move these numbers. Smile makeovers combine several treatments, so each part keeps its own range.

Questions