Bonded to Your Baby Tooth: How Cosmetic Bonding Can Turn Your Baby Tooth into an Adult Tooth
If you are over the age of 21 and still have a baby (primary) tooth nestled amongst your adult teeth, you are a member of a small minority of people that has what is termed "hypodontia". Hypodontia affects around 6% of adults. The permanent tooth that should have replaced the baby tooth by the age of 21, is missing. Under normal circumstances, your body resorbs the roots of baby teeth, essentially unhooking them from the gum to make way for the developing permanent tooth. However, when the permanent tooth is missing, the baby tooth may remain firmly rooted well into adulthood.
While this isn't ideal, if you take good care of your teeth your baby tooth may last a lifetime. But longevity isn't the main issue here. If the baby tooth is one of those 6 teeth that are most visible when you smile, your smile will appear uneven. This may then affect your confidence.
The Solution is 60 Minutes Away
Although there are many dental procedures, such as braces, dental implants, and veneers that could treat this problem, the fastest, cheapest, and least invasive is dental bonding. In just 30-60 minutes, a cosmetic dentist can transform your baby tooth into an adult tooth—and at the cost of less than a dental crown.
How Bonding Can Turn a Baby Tooth into an Adult Tooth
Composite resin is a tooth-coloured adhesive material that can be applied to teeth. When first applied to a tooth, this substance is malleable and can be sculpted and shaped until a desirable form is achieved. When transforming a baby tooth into an adult tooth, at least in appearance, a dentist will simply use this resin to increase the size, and alter the shape of the tooth so that it matches the rest of the teeth.
Your Bonding Will Need to be Redone Every 10 Years
As long as you take good care of your teeth, your bonded tooth should last 10 years. However, foods like spaghetti sauce, wine, coffee and liquorice will eventually stain the bonding. You should also be aware that bonding is not as strong as enamel. Keep this in mind should your bonded baby tooth be a canine tooth. For instance, if your other canine is a genuine adult tooth, use that one to break nuts and hard candies.
If your smile is suffering from the presence of a baby tooth among adult teeth, seek out a cosmetic dentist to correct the problem with composite bonding.
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