Composite Bonding

The Prices, Plainly

Each package includes Boutique home whitening, an examination of the finished work around two weeks later and a final polish. Edge bonding and full composite veneers are the same price per tooth. ¹ The figure goes into a written plan before anything begins, and it doesn't change.

Bonding falls outside the dental plan discount, so plan members and everyone else pay the same.

Why Prices Differ Across Dundee and Angus

Practices around Dundee and Angus advertise bonding at somewhere between about £96 and £300 per tooth. Our single-tooth fee is above that, so you're entitled to ask what the difference buys. Part of it is genuine, and part of it lies in what the advertised price doesn't mention.

• Advertised figures are often "from" prices. They typically cover a minor edge repair. A full build-up or a composite veneer across the whole front of a tooth takes much longer and is listed at a higher price almost everywhere.
• Whitening is normally charged separately elsewhere. It's in every one of our packages, and bought alone it costs £350. Strip that out and four teeth come to £300 per tooth for the bonding itself.
• Layering is slower. Building a tooth from several shades and translucencies, so that the edge has the see-through quality of real enamel, takes more chair time than a single-shade repair.
• Follow-up is part of the fee. The review, the bite adjustment and the final polish aren't billed as separate visits.

A lower price doesn't mean poorer work. If one small chip is all that needs tidying, a straightforward single-shade repair may be perfectly adequate, and we'll tell you so. Wherever you go, ask what the fee includes, how many shades are layered, who'll be doing it and what happens if a corner breaks.

How Bonding Works

Bonding means adding tooth-coloured composite resin to the outer surface of a tooth. After the enamel is cleaned and primed to give the resin a grip, the dentist builds up the shape one layer at a time, setting each with a blue curing light. Once the shape is right, contouring and polishing follow until it catches the light the same way as the neighbouring teeth.

It comes in two forms. Edge bonding adds a small amount at the corners and along the biting edges. A composite veneer coats the full front surface, which allows shape and colour to change at the same time. Since composite is built on rather than drilled away, nearly all of your enamel is left intact. Just occasionally, a sliver is smoothed away to hide the join, and Dr Sharma will say at the consultation whether that applies to you.

Where Bonding Works, and Where It Doesn't

Bonding excels at modest changes to healthy teeth:

• Front teeth chipped in a fall, on a fork or during sport
• Edges worn flat and short over the years
• A small space between the front two teeth
• A narrow or peg-shaped tooth next to normal ones
• White spots or patches in the enamel
• Old bonding that has discoloured or never looked quite right

It's the wrong choice for crowded teeth, since composite adds bulk and moves nothing; those generally look better once straightened. Heavy grinders tend to chip composite edges, so for them we'd plan a night guard or consider porcelain instead. Decay or gum inflammation is always dealt with first, as bonding over an unhealthy tooth won't last.

The Process, Start to Finish

1. Consultation with Dr Sharma. Photos, a check of how your teeth meet and a conversation about the shape you want. The larger cases are planned digitally first, and a trial smile laid over your own teeth lets you see the shape before committing. The consultation costs nothing; a £40 deposit is paid at booking and refunded within 7 days of your visit.
2. Home whitening. Custom trays made to an iTero Lumina scan, worn over two to three weeks. Roughly a fortnight is then allowed for the shade to stabilise before the composite is matched to it.
3. The bonding appointment. One longer visit for most people, two for some sets of veneers. The teeth are kept isolated and dry while each layer goes on, and most patients need no anaesthetic.
4. Review. About two weeks on, we check your bite, adjust anything that sits high and give the whole thing a final polish.

How Long You Can Expect It to Last

Typically three to five years before a refresh is needed, and a good deal of bonding lasts longer. The things that shorten its life are predictable: night-time grinding, chewing nails or pens, smoking, and a heavy intake of coffee, tea or red wine. Composite stains more readily than porcelain, although most of it comes off with a polish at your hygiene appointments.

A chipped corner can usually be rebuilt in a single short visit without touching the rest of the tooth. A refresh generally means a polish or a fresh outer layer rather than starting over. For grinders, a night guard (£210) looks after the edges while you sleep.

Cases That Call for Porcelain or Invisalign Instead

Porcelain is the answer for a major, long-term change across several teeth, or for teeth that are very dark or mostly filling. Where teeth overlap or lean, Invisalign beforehand often means much less composite, or none at all. There's more in our guide to porcelain and composite veneers.

Bonding at Our Broughty Ferry Practice

Our principal dentist, Dr Nikhil Sharma, plans and does the bonding himself. He provides Invisalign and porcelain veneers too, so if a combination would serve you better he can plan the whole thing together. You'll find us at 196 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry DD5 2AH, in the heart of the Ferry. Travelling in from Carnoustie, Monifieth, Forfar or Tayport? Directions are on our getting here page.

We're open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Closed at weekends. Examples of our bonding are on the composite bonding page, shared with each patient's written consent; results differ from one mouth to the next. ² You can book online, phone 01382 477350, or send a photo by WhatsApp to 07984 709110.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.