If you are thinking about having a dental procedure done to change the shape of one or more of your teeth, there are a few different options available to you, two of which are dental bonding and tooth contouring (also known as reshaping). While both of these procedures can be used to alter the shape of your teeth, they have their differences and can be used to fix different kinds of problems! In this article, we’ll go over what each of these procedures entail and talk about their differences so you can decide which cosmetic dental procedure is right for you! If you have any questions about dental bonding, tooth contouring, or any other cosmetic dental procedure, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Gentle Dental Maine! Our cosmetic specialists provide patients in the Southern Maine region with a wide range of cosmetic dentistry procedures that improve the look of their smiles!
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a procedure that involves the use of a tooth-colored composite resin material to change the appearance of a tooth. Dental bonding can be used to repair chips & cracks, whiten discolored teeth, and change the shape of teeth that are too small or have gaps around them. Dental bonding is a fast and relatively affordable procedure, making it a great option for people who want to change the shape of their teeth! The biggest difference between dental bonding and tooth contouring, when it comes to reshaping a tooth, is that bonding is typically used to add more surface area to a tooth in order to close gaps or elongate the tooth, while contouring typically makes the tooth smaller.
Tooth Contouring
Contouring & reshaping is a cosmetic dental procedure that involves a dentist using a drill or laser to remove a small amount of enamel (the outer layer of a tooth) in order to change the shape or size of one or more teeth. Tooth contouring can also be used to smooth out sharp edges or cracks on a tooth, giving the patient’s smile a more uniform look. As mentioned above, tooth contouring is typically used to remove a small amount of a tooth in order to reshape it, while dental bonding uses a composite resin material to add more material to the tooth.
Contact Gentle Dental Maine!
If you have any questions about dental bonding, tooth contouring & reshaping, or any other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please contact our team at Gentle Dental Maine today! We specialize in general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry services at each of our offices in South Portland, Biddeford, and Topsham. Give us a call today at whichever of our offices is most convenient to you, or if you’re not yet a patient with us, please fill out the new patient form on our website!