Edge Bonding: Rebuilding Chipped and Uneven Incisal Edges

Edge bonding can suit a chipped or uneven edge on a healthy front tooth, once a dentist has checked the tooth, gums and bite.

In general, the NHS notes a broken tooth may need root canal treatment if the nerve is exposed, which is why dentists check the tooth itself before rebuilding the edge.

Worn edges are different. European consensus guidance on severe tooth wear puts diagnosis, prevention and monitoring first, to establish the cause and rate of wear, and says restoration should typically be delayed as long as possible. The tooth wear page explains teeth that are wearing down as a condition and its causes.

At the practice, suitability for bonding is planned as a sequence. Gum disease and decay are treated first. Crowding can be addressed with aligners first, and bonding is ideally done once aligner treatment has finished. Whitening can also be done first, and it is optional rather than required.

The cosmetic concern page covers how short or worn front teeth look, and the bonding decision guide helps with working out which option suits you.

In general, edge bonding builds composite onto the chipped edge in layers, hardens each layer with a light, then shapes and polishes it.

• The shade is chosen against the neighbouring teeth while they are still moist, because enamel that dries out looks whiter and more opaque.
• The enamel surface is prepared and a bonding agent applied, so the composite grips the tooth.
• Composite is added in small increments, each hardened with a curing light.
• The edge is shaped to match the neighbouring teeth and checked against the bite.
• The surface is finished and polished to a smooth gloss.

Composite bonding at Deepcar Dental Care

At Deepcar Dental Care, composite bonding is carried out by our cosmetic dentists. Bonding usually needs no drilling and no injection.

The practice gives these typical chair times for composite bonding. Each is one bonding visit in suitable cases, and every figure varies by case.

Composite bonding at the practice includes a consultation, photographs, an intraoral scan, a wax-up or digital design, a mock-up in the mouth before you commit, a final polish appointment, a review appointment 2 weeks after treatment, a hygiene visit before treatment and an aftercare kit. The stages are set out in what happens during composite bonding, step by step.

The NHS advises seeing a dentist if you have chipped, cracked or broken a tooth, and says it is usually not serious.

If a piece breaks off, the NHS says to keep it in milk or saliva and take it to the dentist, who may be able to glue it back on. For urgent dental treatment, call a dentist, whose answerphone may say what to do if they are closed, or call 111 for advice.

If a damaged tooth becomes painful, the NHS advises seeing a dentist for toothache lasting more than 2 days or not eased by painkillers. Go to A&E if the area around your eye or your neck is swollen, or if swelling in your mouth or neck makes it difficult to breathe, swallow or speak. Do not drive yourself: ask someone to take you, or call 999 for an ambulance.

Front teeth that look shorter or flatter over time are worth raising at a check-up, because tooth wear guidance starts with finding the cause.

Edge bonding is one of several composite bonding treatments, and the options in this section include others, from full-surface composite veneers to gap closure.