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.
 

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 case of the month for August 2022 was a fabulous one! A real smile transformation done correctly. Forget 'Turkey Teeth'! A smile transformation should involve minimal or no biological damage to the teeth and gums to enhance the aesthetic and functional issues. The term 'Turkey Teeth' comes from social media posts where a smile makeover is done over a weekend by hacking away natural healthy tooth structure and placing multiple crowns and veneers. These are often linked together with no means of cleaning between them. This is a recipe for disaster with not only a high risk of nerve death and root canals but also gum disease and infection. The cost of rectifying this treatment will far outweigh the 'savings' from going abroad and also lead to life long maintenance.

Anyway, back to our case and happier news. We first started with careful planning to straighten the teeth using Invisalign full. One of the main issues was that the dental arches were very narrow which is why you cannot see the back teeth on smiling. This is called the buccal corridor. With expansion, we have the opportunity to create space and correct crowding without IPR ( in between teeth filing and slimming) which we always strive to achieve. Invisalign is simply the best at arch expansion in our opinion. After only 8 months, we had lovely straight teeth ready for the next stage.
 

Our case of the month for November 2021 was a classic tooth bonding case involving severe tooth wear. Tooth wear is an increasing problem with grinding at night becoming an ever increasing problem coupled with acid in the diet. The combination of these two factors can lead to the softening and dissolving enamel leading to thin edges, chipping, fractures and exposure of the underlying dentine which can be very sensitive. 

The beauty of cosmetic bonding is that we can treat the wear, protect the teeth and improve the aesthetics in one visit. We do not need to cut the teeth down at all, there is no need for any needle, the procedure is pain free and easy to maintain.
 

Our case of the month for October 2021 was a simple yet effective one involving three of our favourite techniques: Invisalign, tooth whitening and cosmetic bonding.

Crowding of teeth is so common, we would probably say the majority of the population suffer some form of mis alignment of some sort. Luckily, modern day treatments mean that teeth straightening is actually a simply and pain free process. In our case, we used Invisalign Lite which is the 'middle of the road' version which typically takes less than 6 months. We have access to 14 initial aligners and then 2 sets of additional sets of up to 14 each for fine tuning.

Once this was complete, tooth whitening was done at home using our favoured Zoom gel followed by some expert cosmetic bonding. All treatment was carried out by Dr Nissit Patel. Please take a look at the before and after photos. Quite a transformation!
 

Our case of the month for May 2021 was a simple one involving ICON to treat a white spot and then cosmetic bonding to repair a small chip. Initially. we used Invisalign Express to treat some mild mis alignment. Putting teeth in the correct position will mean that that any future treatment will always look better especially bonding. 

The treatment in our case is completely non invasive. There is no need for any drilling, no needles of any sort and no pain! Furthermore, the cost is affordable compared to traditional veneers or crowns. A no brainer! 

ICON white spot treatment works by changing the light refractions of the white spot using resin infiltration. This way the white spot is camouflaged and blends in the surrounding tooth. The process is super simple and takes only a few minutes. 

Cosmetic bonding can further enhance the appearance of the tooth by using highly aesthetic composite resin to layer over an defects such as chips, uneven edges, gaps, sharp edges and even discolouration. 

Here are the before and after photographs:
 

Our case of the month for June 2021 was one where spaces were closed using composite bonding or teeth bonding. Often there are spaces between teeth which are either natural, developmental, after orthodontic treatment or following a trauma. One of the simplest ways to close the spaces is via bonding.