Dental bonding starts with a consultation. The dentist will examine your teeth and determine the appropriateness of dental bonding for your case. If appropriate, the dentist will use a shade guide to find composite resin material that matches your tooth’s color before proceeding to the next step.

With the appropriate resin shade in hand, the dentist will prepare your tooth for the bonding application. To do so, they’ll apply a mild etching acid on the affected region. This roughens the surface, increasing the surface area to apply the bonding material. Next, the dentist applies the bonding agent to the tooth.

Next, the dentist will layer the composite resin material player by layer until all the voids have been filled and the stains are completely covered. They’ll then expose the resin to a special blue light to cure it. This process only takes about five minutes and results in hardened resin that secures firmly to the tooth.

Once the bonding material has set into the tooth, the dentist will use a drill and other instruments to shape it to its intended shape. Occasionally, they’ll ask you to bite into a thin sheet to register your bite. Once the tooth matches its natural contours and the bite registers correctly, they’ll release you with instructions for taking care of your nelly-bonded teeth.