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Cosmetic Composite Bonding
Diagnosis
Patient #1 is a 17-year-old female who was in an auto accident. Her lower incisors were fractured and loosened by an impact with the steering wheel of the auto.
Another dentist had treated her on an emergency basis. Her concern was how the teeth looked to others. She had tetracycline staining from taking the antibiotic during tooth development.
Treatment
Performed all of the old filling material and loose tooth structure was carefully removed. Four of the lower incisors were bonded with composite (white filling) restorations. First the teeth were acid etched, then primed, and bonded. The filling material was then formed to look like teeth then set using the curing light.
Future Treatment
Composite restorations are ideal for this patient because we might need to do root canals in the near future and she wants to bleach her teeth to a lighter shade. Porcelain veneers, which are better looking and longer lasting, can be accomplished in a year or two after we are sure the teeth are ok. We can expect white filling veneers or bonding to last on an average of 5 to 6 years. However, I have one patient whose veneers lasted for 19 years. She now lives in Arizona and she returned to Kentucky to have them redone in 2002!
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