Improving the aesthetics and the structure of your smile is easier than ever before thanks to advancements in dental technology. For example, composite resin is a completely metal-free way to repair dental damage and achieve aesthetic results. This article from our O’Fallon dentists will help you understand the basics of composite resin treatment. Let’s get started!
Composite Resin Explained
When we talk about composite dental resin, we are talking about a mixture of ceramic and porcelain compounds. This mixture starts off as a soft and moldable substance. However, once it is cured, it permanently hardens and bonds to the tooth structure.
Composite resin restorations and fillings do not contain any metal or amalgam. You may choose to use composite resin bonding treatment if you want to:
- Treat Tooth damage
- Cover and resurface discolored or poorly textured enamel
- Close spaces between your teeth
- Make short teeth longer and better proportioned
- Achieve a straighter looking smile
Why Use Resin?
As you can see, dental resin is impressively versatile. On top of that, resin is a popular restorative material because it:
- Exactly mimics the appearance of real enamel
- Is custom-shaded to match specific teeth
- Is durable
- Doesn’t require high-maintenance upkeep post-treatment
- Doesn’t expand and contract in response to fluctuations in temperature
How Does the Treatment Process Work?
When you come in for an assessment, our dental team will take a look at your smile, and help you determine whether composite resin is right for you. The application of composite resin generally takes only one appointment to complete:
- We’ll prep and shape the tooth as necessary
- We’ll apply the custom-shaded resin to your natural tooth
- We’ll shape and smooth the resin
- We’ll cure the resin so that it hardens and bonds with your real tooth
And that’s it! You’ll be good to go with your newly improved smile. As you can see, treatment with composite resin is exceedingly convenient for the patient. If you want to learn more about any of your restorative and aesthetic treatment options, please reach out to our O’Fallon dentists!