Dental Bonding: 3 Aftercare Tips For Longer-Lasting Results
A conservative approach to getting the smile that you want is to use dental bonding to shape and color your natural teeth to your liking. The entire process of applying composite bonding takes about 30 minutes and will basically require a teeth cleaning and a coating of etching glue. Once the multiple layers of the composite resin have completely cured, you'll be able to enjoy the results for a number of years. For longer-lasting results, consider implementing the following 3 aftercare tips.
Avoid Eating Starchy and Sugary Foods
The bond of the composite resin can be weakened by any chemicals that cling onto its surfaces. In particular, you'll find that sugary and starchy products not only encourage bacteria growth, but will also leave a sticky residue. If you want the composite bond to last longer, be wary of what you eat. It's important to avoid starchy and sugary foods as much as possible. In the event that you do consume starchy and sugary foods, carefully floss and brush your teeth as soon as possible afterwards. You want to keep the surfaces of your teeth clean.
It's not just starchy and sugary foods. You also want to avoid eating foods that are too hard, as biting down on hard foods can encourage chipping. Although strong, the composite resin is not nearly as strong as your natural teeth. You need to be especially careful if the bonding was done at the edge of your teeth where you bite down.
Go See a Dentist More Frequently and Regularly
As mentioned above, composite resin is not as strong and durable as your natural teeth. As a result, you want to make sure that you get frequent professional maintenance. Ensure that a dentist has their eyes on the condition and integrity of the composite resin to see whether any additional touch-ups are ever needed. This is particularly true if you had extensive bonding work done.
A hygienist will also be able to clean the surfaces of your teeth more extensively to prevent the composite resin from staining or weakening in integrity.
Use Recommended Toothpastes and Toothbrushes
After the procedure, your cosmetic dentist will usually recommend that you switch to different toothpastes and toothbrushes. Don't ignore their advice. In fact, write down the different products that they recommend and try them to see which one you like more. Harsh toothpastes can actually dull the shine of the composite resin easily. This makes the dental bonding much more susceptible to staining and chipping. You generally want to use toothpastes that have stain-removing properties that are much more gentle on your teeth. This is especially true, once again, if you have had extensive dental bonding work done.
Similarly, you should also be careful of the type of toothbrush that you use and how long you use your toothbrushes for. You want to choose ones with softer bristles, as they also tend to be gentler on the resin; however, this means that you'll have to replace your toothbrush much more frequently.
Conclusion
Composite resin bonding can make a life-changing difference on the quality and aesthetics of your smile. It's a much more conservative approach for those who do not want to take a more permanent step. Composite resin can fix a multitude of different cosmetic dental problems easily. For example, it can be used to shape your teeth, fill in unwanted gaps, restore tooth decay, and even change the color of your natural teeth color to a whiter and brighter shade. Although you can expect the results to last a relatively long time, you should also take preemptive measures that prevent the composite resin from weakening or staining. For more information and advice, check out websites like http://www.accentdentalnwi.com/.