Why Is Your Dental Bonding Coming Off Your Teeth?

Covering a flaw in your tooth with composite resin dental bonding might sound like a stopgap measure—like it's the dental equivalent of hiding a hole in the wall by hanging a painting over it. But this type of dental procedure is far more involved than that. The bonding material becomes the new outer layer of the tooth, designed to resemble your natural dental enamel. This means that bonding can be used to conceal discoloration, minor chips and cracks, and misshapen teeth, amongst other concerns. How can dental bonding sometimes detach from a tooth?  

Falling and Flaking

It's an unlikely scenario, but it's possible for composite dental resin to come away from its tooth. It may fall off as a single unit, or it might flake away in chips. Your dentist will want to find out why. There are some causes that may be out of your control, although issues with your own dental care can also shorten the lifespan of your dental bonding.

Etching Your Tooth

The bonding itself will be examined for flaws. When it was applied, your tooth was treated with an acid etching solution to allow the bonding to grip the tooth. The bonding is then manually sculpted onto the tooth. If the etching process wasn't as comprehensive as it needed to be, the bonding material may not properly connect to the tooth.

The Shape of the Restoration

Since the bonding was applied in a freehand manner, it's possible that the ultimate shape was too bulky for the tooth. This creates corners of the bonded surface that can be caught by other teeth when eating or speaking, which can begin to tug the bonding loose from the tooth. 

Brushing Your Bonding

Additionally, your dentist will want to know about your dental care habits. In your efforts to keep your teeth as healthy as possible, you may be brushing too hard—with a toothbrush whose bristles are too abrasive for your restoration. As strong as dental bonding should be, it's not unbreakable. Without realizing it, you might be steadily rubbing your dental bonding away, causing it to flake. This is a matter of technique and tools, and your dentist can show you how to properly clean your teeth without damaging your bonding.

The great thing about dental bonding is that it's quick and noninvasive to apply. So if your bonding should fall off or flake away, once your dentist has found out why (and can take steps to prevent it from happening again), it's very simple to reapply your composite resin bonding.

Contact a dental office like Chinook Family Dentistry to learn more.