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Composite Bonding
Composite bonding repairs chips, closes small gaps and reshapes teeth with tooth-coloured resin, usually in one sitting and often with little or no drilling.
Composite bonding uses a tooth-coloured resin that the dentist builds up on the tooth, shapes by hand, and sets with a curing light. Nothing is made in a lab. The work is done while you sit in the chair.
At our Malad West clinic, our dentists lead our smile work and also place composite. The shaping is the skill. A bonded tooth has to match its neighbours in length, curve and the way light passes through it, and that takes time rather than speed.
We choose bonding when the problem is small or when you want something that can be undone. It is also the sensible route when you have a deadline, because the result is finished the same day.
When composite bonding can help
- A chipped corner or edge on a front tooth
- A small gap between two teeth
- One tooth shorter or narrower than the others
- Slight overlapping that you do not want braces for
- Worn edges on the front teeth
- A stained spot or old filling on a front tooth that bothers you
Your options
Single-tooth repair
One chip or one small gap fixed in a short visit. Often no anaesthesia is needed, because little or no tooth is removed.
Composite laminates across several teeth
Composite built over the visible front teeth to even out shape and spacing. Gail had this on 20 teeth. It takes longer in the chair and needs more careful polishing, but it avoids a lab and keeps your own teeth underneath.
Reshaping with composite
Sometimes we change the tooth next to a gap rather than the gap itself. In one case, the canines were reshaped to stand in for missing side incisors, with composite finishing the shape.
What happens, step by step
- 1
Look and plan
We examine the teeth, check your bite, and talk through what you want changed. For larger changes a digital smile preview can be shown first. Whitening, if you want it, is done before we choose the shade.
- 2
Prepare the surface
The tooth is cleaned and lightly roughened so the resin holds. Many patients need no anaesthesia at this stage. If some tooth has to be removed, we numb the area first.
- 3
Build, shape and set
The dentist adds the resin in thin layers, sets each with a light, and sculpts the final form. We check your bite with marking paper, then polish the surface until it looks like enamel.
Left: a chipped front edge. Right: the edge rebuilt with tooth-coloured resin, layer by layer, to match the tooth around it. Illustration: Khalid Aletaibi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0), two panels cropped and combined
Want the detail?
Smile Designing: Choosing Between Veneers and Bonding →
From our case studies
All case studies →
Small gaps that showed up on camera
3 composite laminates on the upper front teeth
Two missing teeth, filled in by reshaping her own
Re-contouring the canines and first premolars, and composite laminates on the 6 front teeth
Real cases from our clinic, shared with each patient's consent. Results differ from person to person.
Real Patient Results
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Composite restoration case 1
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Composite restoration case 2
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After treatment
- You can eat once any numbness has worn off, but avoid very hard foods such as nuts and ice for the first day.
- Go easy on tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco. Composite takes up stain more readily than natural enamel.
- Do not bite nails or open packets with the bonded teeth.
- Floss as usual. A rough edge or a feeling that your bite is high should be checked, not left.
- Book a polish every six months. It keeps the surface smooth and slows staining.
When we suggest something else
Bonding has limits. Composite is weaker than ceramic. On a tooth with a large break, or on someone who grinds heavily, it can chip again, and a crown or ceramic laminate holds up better. Heavy staining in the surrounding teeth also shows through the resin.
If you want a result that lasts longer and resists stain, we may suggest veneers. If the real problem is crowding or a bad bite, braces or aligners fix the cause, and bonding only covers it. We explain which of these applies before you choose.
Cost
What changes the cost
- The number of teeth treated
- How much shaping each tooth needs
- Whether whitening or gum work comes first
- Whether a tooth is being rebuilt or only touched up
- Any later polishing or repair visits
Visit us for a detailed quote. We examine your teeth and give you a written estimate before any treatment starts.
Who treats you
- Dr. (Lt.Col) Suresh Isawe, Founder & Senior Surgeon (BDS (Mumbai, 1981), PGDPC, MIAO (USA))
- Dr. Kanchan Koli, General Dentistry Specialist (BDS)
Questions patients ask
Does composite bonding hurt?
Often little or no tooth is removed, so many people have it done without anaesthesia. If we need to remove some tooth, we numb it. You usually feel pressure rather than pain.
How long does composite bonding last?
Commonly somewhere between 3 and 10 years, depending on where it sits, your bite and your habits. Edges and front teeth take the most knocks. It can usually be repaired or topped up rather than replaced.
Does bonding stain?
Yes, over time, more than natural enamel or ceramic. Polishing every six months helps. Smoking and heavy tea or coffee make it show sooner.
Can bonding be done on all my front teeth in one day?
Smaller jobs, yes. A full set of 20 composite laminates, as in some of our cases, took two appointments on two days. We tell you the number of visits after the exam.
Is bonding reversible?
Largely, yes. Because little or no enamel is removed, the resin can be polished off or replaced later. That is the main reason people choose it over ceramic.
Can I whiten teeth after bonding?
Whitening lightens your natural teeth but not the resin. If you plan to whiten, do it first and match the composite to the new shade.
Typical Duration
Usually one sitting of 30 to 90 minutes, depending on how many teeth
Visit Us in Malad West
A-102, Marve Link Appt., 1st Floor, Marve Road, Mith Chowky, Malad (W), Mumbai 400064
- Monday – Saturday: 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed