Bad Habits to Keep With Dental Bonds

For small cosmetic changes, dentists usually recommend dental bonds as opposed to veneers. Dental bonds involve tooth-colored deposit resin being bonded to the tooth via a special light source causing it to harden and set. This can fix a variety of problems including small cracks in teeth, closing gaps between teeth, repairing decaying teeth and many other small, restorative procedures. As with any dental procedure, there are certain steps that need to be taken to ensure the quality of your new teeth. Dental bonds can last anywhere from two to ten years, and if you’re looking to keep your bonds for a while, some bad habits may need to be broken.

• Biting your fingernails: Chewing your fingernails can be a bad habit, but typically does more damage to your nails than your teeth. With dental bonds, however, chewing on your hard nails could cause breakage or cracks.
• Chewing on pens: Pens usually have even harder surfaces to chew on, and can damage even the good enamel in your teeth, so it’s especially important to avoid using your bonds to chew on them.
• Eating Ice: Eating ice is damaging to your oral health. It can cause cracks or fractures and even sensitivity to cold and hot foods by damaging nerves. Your dental bonds could easily break off under the pressure of ice.
• Opening containers with your mouth: This is a habit to kick no matter what. Your teeth weren’t made to rip open packages, and neither were your dental bonds. Use scissors or other tools to get tough containers open.

To keep your bonds in top shape, stop doing the habits above and practice good oral health. Brush twice a day, floss once, and visit your dentist regularly. If you notice any sharp edges or have trouble biting down with your bonds, contact your dentist immediately.

At Greenspoint Dental, we offer dental bonds for those looking to improve their smile. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment.