Yesterday we had a patient of over 20 years come visit us with a broken front tooth. Naturally he wanted the tooth fixed. In this case he wanted a quick repair that could last for at least a few years. He was not looking to spend a significant amount of money on the repair. After evaluating the tooth we found that a section of the tooth had broken away adjacent to a previously placed filling. Although a porcelain veneer would be a stronger repair he wanted something that would be quick to repair and would be less of an investment than a veneer.
As a result we performed a bonding procedure. In this procedure the tooth structure is minimally prepared and a portion of the existing filling was removed to create a fresh surface on which to bond. No anesthesia or numbing was required for this procedure. Within 45 minutes the patient was able to leave the office with this newly repaired tooth. We placed a resin or plastic tooth colored filling material. We shaped and polished it and our patient left the office very pleased. While this was not the strongest repair it was a repair that looked very nice and may last for quite a long time. This patient does wear a night guard nightly. As a result this repair will be better protected and has a better chance to last a longer period of time.
If you or someone you know would benefit from a procedure like this we invite you to contact us at (972) 250-2580. We would be glad to assist you with any questions and appointments. Thank you for your interest in our website. We are constantly working with it to keep it updated with new information.