A gap in your smile can be an endearing form of character. But some folks feel self-conscious about that little space in their teeth and would prefer to get rid of it. This gap is typically found in the front two teeth but that isn’t the only area where you may have a space and depending on where it is located, this gap can be uncomfortable or inconvenient for speaking, eating, and of course, smiling.
For those who would like to have the problem corrected, a visit to the dentist can solve the issue through a process called tooth bonding. It’s an effective method to disguise a gap in your smile and fix the issue once and for all.
How the Process Works
Tooth bonding is a simple procedure that can usually be performed in only one visit. It requires the use of a special dental material that is mixed exclusively to blend with the natural color of your teeth. The purpose of the addition of this material is to widen both teeth that have the current gap in order to fill it in.
This material is made of a composite resin designed to be placed into the gap and detailed through sculpting so that it appears to be your normal teeth. The dentist will choose the proper shade that matches your teeth, prepare the front of your teeth for application of the resin with a conditioning liquid that will make it easier to attach the material.
Once your teeth are ready, the bonding material is applied, molded, and sculpted. The dentist will gently and carefully build the piece so that it looks just like your natural teeth and will continue to work with it until the gap is naturally disguised. When it’s done, the dentist will use ultraviolet light to harden the bond so that it has the same resilience as your regular teeth.
After it has hardened, the resin is polished and given a smooth, shining exterior and natural contour so that the interior of your lip is not irritated by this new piece of material on your teeth. After this stage of the procedure is complete, you are finished. Now look in the mirror and you won’t see that gap any longer, just a beautiful, fully formed and filled in smile you can be proud to show off.
Not all patients will qualify for this procedure, particularly those who smoke, bite their nails, or have a gap that is too large to fill in with dental bonding.
