Modern dentistry has adapted and updated to prioritize patient preferences while delivering high-quality oral health care. One material they use to accomplish these goals is composite resin.
This tooth-colored, cement-like product offers a variety of uses for general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. It is both safe to apply within the mouth and highly effective in its aesthetic and structural capabilities for your teeth.
You can feel more confident about pursuing treatments that employ resin when you understand the many benefits it can provide for your dental goals and needs. Read on to learn three ways that your dentist will utilize composite resin in your dental care.
Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings
Most of us will develop a cavity, an early form of tooth decay, at some point in our lives. A dentist will treat the problem by drilling away the damaged part of the tooth and filling the resulting hole in the enamel. In the past, dentists used metal alloys to do this. But modern dental treatments use composite resin fillings to treat cavities.
Patients appreciate that the color of the fillings will blend into your natural smile better than harsh metal ones. And the resin easily sculpts to fill the hole and then hardens into place when the dentist cures it.
This creates a seal over the vulnerable part of the tooth, ensuring it stays safe from further harm. This type of filling can remain in place, protecting the tooth, for about ten years before requiring replacement.
Cosmetic Teeth Bonding
Dentists also use composite resin during a cosmetic dental treatment called tooth bonding. This procedure involves a dentist applying resin to the surface of the teeth and molding it according to your smile aesthetic goals.
The resin can cover dental stains, leaving you with a brighter and more even tooth color. And it can fill gaps between teeth, reshape irregular teeth, and cover minor chips and cracks in teeth to boost the overall appearance of your smile.
Bonding can last for three to ten years with proper maintenance, giving you a gorgeous finish to your smile without breaking your budget like some other cosmetic dental solutions. Follow your dentist’s guidelines to maximize the benefits of this treatment.
Dental Adhesive
Composite resin can provide high-quality dental care on its own, but it also serves to support other dental work too. Resin’s cement-like capabilities allow dentists to use it as an adhesive for treatments like porcelain veneers.
The dentist will apply resin to the front of the prepared teeth in order to attach the custom-made caps to the patient’s smile. They etch into the enamel first to allow the resin to better adhere to the teeth. Then the patient can see smile enhancement with these veneers for fifteen years or longer with proper care and maintenance.
Discover the cosmetic and restorative advantages of composite resin and its various abilities when you contact your dentist. Schedule a dental consultation in Indianapolis, IN today online or by phone by calling 317.204.7134.