A smile speaks a thousand words as the old saying goes. Sometimes, it is the little changes that really make a difference. This may not be evident to everyone but if a small enhancement gives you more confidence then this make a huge difference to ones wellbeing. 

One of the ways we can enahnce a smile is with a technique called composite bonding. Our case of the month for January 2025 is really a classic one where bonding was used to improve the smile symmetry in a subtle yet striking way.
 

To answer this question, we really need to differentiate the two treatments as they are two different treatment entirely. 

Composite bonding is an additive process. In simple terms, we carefully sculpt composite resin over the teeth in question. This can be used to treat chipped, fractured, uneven and gappy teeth. Composite can also be used to replace old fillings on front ( or back) teeth. The great advantage of bonding includes:

1. Treatment is completed in one visit; an instant smile transformation!
2. Minimally invasive. There is little, if any, drilling of the underlying teeth needed.
3. Biologically safe for the teeth and gums. There is no risk of damage to the nerve.
4. Composite can be easily maintained.
5. More affordable than porcelain veneers or ceramic crowns.
6. Composite will protect the underlying teeth from further wear and tear.
 

One of our favourite treatments for cosmetic teeth straightening is the Social 6 lingual brace. This brace is the truly invisible brace as it is placed on the inside of the teeth. Even though lingual braces have been around for many decades, there is little awareness of the system as the treatment in the past has been kept within the realm of specialist orthodontists and the costs have been incredibly high compared to conventional braces. Now for complex cases, lingual brace treatment is an extremely difficult and technically demanding one for dentists and patients and the costs, quite rightly, relate to this. However, for more simple cosmetic alignment, the Social 6 lingual brace is a great option for simple, quick and affordable treatment.
 

Composite bonding is a well know and popular technique that we have been using for over 15 years. The process is generally minimally invasive, requires very little tooth preparation, no needles or anaesthetic and is more affordable than other cosmetic dental options such as porcelain veneers. The procedure can be used for a number of treatments including closing spaces between teeth especially front teeth.
 

Our case of the month for June 2023 involves composite cosmetic bonding on the upper front teeth. Composite bonding is a minimally invasive cosmetic dental treatment which can improve the aesthetics of a tooth or teeth. In most cases, we do not need to remove any healthy tooth structure with the composite being layered upon the tooth. With the advent of modern day dental materials, we are able to create stunning smiles with bonding in just one appointment.
 

Our cosmetic teeth straightening and composite bonding case of the month is really simple yet effective cosmetic dental treatment. In many cases, our patients would simply like to straighten the front teeth only which is quite understandable. If the front 4 teeth or incisor teeth or crooked, overlapping or gappy, then we have techniques which can help to solve the problems. One of those is the Social 6 lingual brace which is especially designed for the incisor teeth only.
 

Our case of the month for March is a simple but great one- we love it so much! It features composite bonding which is a favourite treatment of ours. People often ask what is cosmetic or composite bonding. Well the answer is simple. For many years, dentists have been using adhesive technology to bond fillings inside of teeth. The same technology can be applied to the outside of teeth to make them look pretty! In essence, if a tooth is worn down, fractured, uneven or discoloured then composite bonding can be used to enhance the tooth without having to cut the tooth down or destroy healthy tooth enamel. After all, dental enamel is the hardest tissue in the body for a good reason. It is there to protect teeth- why on earth would we cut it all away? The old days of Extreme Makeover (remember that show) are over. 

Often cosmetic bonding can be used for very subtle treatments such as our case. In this example, we treated the front teeth using Social 6 lingual braces to straighten the teeth first and then use composite bonding to enhance the smile line to even the edges, make pointed teeth look natural and camouflage the canine teeth which were quite pointed. There was absolutely no drilling of the underlying teeth, no needles were required, an entirely pain free process. Take a look at the difference:
 

Our case of the month for November involves cosmetic bonding of a front tooth. The tooth in question was treated after orthodontic teeth straightening. Once the teeth were nice and straight, the smile was significantly enhanced with our minimally invasive technique of cosmetic bonding.

A brief overview of the technique:

1. The tooth is cleaned and polished. Any old composite filling material must be removed and any sharp edges smoothed.

2. Washing and drying with an etching gel.

3. Coating the tooth with a fine bonding layer. This is set with a special light at a certain wavelength.

4. Incremental layers of the composite bonding material are added until the new outline has been achieved.

5. Careful contouring and polishing of the new restoration.

6. Occlusal (bite) analysis and final aesthetic evaluation.

Here are the before and after photos: