What Is Composite Bonding?

Composite bonding uses a tooth-coloured resin that a dentist shapes onto the tooth. The resin is then hardened with a light and polished to match the tooth.

Composite bonding feels fairly straightforward. For a chip or a worn edge that is exactly why I like composite bonding. Composite bonding keeps more of the tooth instead of preparing it for a larger restoration.

When Bonding Fits

– Composite bonding works well for a chip on the front tooth especially when you want the repair to blend in without much fuss.

– A little reshaping may be all that is needed which feels much less involved than preparing a tooth for an inlay.

– Composite bonding is not indestructible. Biting foods with a bonded edge is asking for trouble honestly.

What Is a Dental Inlay?

A dental inlay is made outside the mouth. Then fitted into a prepared area of the tooth. Dental inlay is usually used when a tooth needs support than a regular filling can provide but a full crown would be more than necessary.

Think of an inlay, as a fitted piece that sits inside the damaged part of the tooth. The dentist removes the area first then the inlay is made to fit that space closely.

Why Choose an Inlay?

– Dental inlay is chosen for substantial damage, where a thin layer of composite bonding simply would not feel enough.

– Back teeth take serious chewing pressure so a fitted restoration can be the more sensible route when the tooth needs extra support.

Which One Should You Have?

If your tooth has a chip or minor cosmetic damage I would lean toward composite bonding. Composite bonding preserves more of the tooth and usually feels like a smaller intervention.

If there is a deeper cavity or a sizeable section missing from a back tooth a dental inlay makes more sense. You do not want to use a repair simply because it sounds easier.