Dental bonding cost – what kind of price tag can you expect to find attached to a dental bonding procedure, what are the factors that can influence the cost, and is it covered by insurance?
Dental bonding is an affordable and non-invasive way to improve the appearance and function of teeth with minor imperfections. Such minor imperfections might include discoloring or small chips and cracks in the enamel of the teeth. Bonding cannot fix tooth decay, but it can be a way of preventing or treating the tooth after decay has been removed.
Dental bonding is often referred to as cosmetic bonding, and it is primarily considered to be a cosmetic procedure, although there can be practical reasons to get it, such as covering exposed tooth roots or strengthening a broken or chipped tooth to prevent further damage.
In this article, we are going to look at the dental bonding cost and discuss everything that may influence it.
What dental bonding is used for
A few examples of issues that cosmetic bonding dentistry procedures can correct include the following:
Reparing a cracked or chipped tooth
Dental bonding ios often used to repair small chips and cracks in natural teeth. Reparing such cracks and chips is important, as it protects the tooth against sustaining further damage and potentially getting infected.
Closing tooth gaps
Dental bonding can be a fast and effective way of closing small gaps in the teeth that the patient wants to get rid of.
The only other alternatives to closing tooth gaps are getting dental veneers or undergoing orthodontic treatment – both of which are significantly more costly and time-intensive.
If you would like to learn more about the differences between dental bonding vs veneers, read our article about it here.
Changing the shape of a tooth
If any of your teeth are underdeveloped or have an unwanted shape, dental bonding is often the best and easiest way of addressing the issue.
By adding composite resin to the tooth, the dentist is able to give the tooth the desired shape.
Improving discolored teeth
If you are suffering with tooth discoloration, adding an amont of composite resin to natural teeth can even out their color and help improve their overall appearance.
Of course, you shouldn’t rely on composite resin to whiten your teeth, but rather as an additional treatment that can get rid of any particualrly stubborn stains or discoloring.
Covering exposed tooth roots
Composite bonding material is sometimes used to cover sensitive tooth roots that have been left exposed by receding gums.
In most cases, receding gums are the product of gum disease, so if you notice that your gums are recding, it is important to seek treatment for the underlying cause, instead of only addressing the symptom.
Breakdown of tooth bonding cost
So, how much does dental bonding actually cost?
The cost of minor cosmetic dentistry procedures like dental bonding can vary significantly from country to country and even from state to state. Likewise, if you live in a large city or urban area, this factor alone is going to drive up the cost of dental services.
Insurance companies often don’t cover dental bonding, which is broadly considered to belong in the domain of cosmetic dentistry. However, there are exceptions particualrly if the reason for your procedure isn’t merely an aesthetic issue.
In the US, a tooth bonding procedure without insurance can cost anywhere from $90-$450+, depending on all of the factors mentioned above. Reparing a chipped tooth or filling the gap between two teeth is typically slightly more expensive, with prices ranging between $100 and $1,000 per tooth.
How a tooth bonding procedure is performed
In dental bonding procedures, the dentist applies a tooth-colored composite resin to the relevant tooth and teeth before using either an ultraviolet light or a laser light to harden it and bond it to the tooth.
Fortunately, tooth bonding is one of the simplest, fastest and least expensive cosmetic dentistry procedures there are. It only requires one visit to the dentist’s office and is performed without any need for local anesthetic.
Other cosmetic dental procedures worth considering
Dental bonding isn’t the only cosmetic dental procedure on offer if you are looking to treat discolored, chipped, cracked, worn, gapped or crooked front teeth.
The best alterative to dental bonding is getting porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are custom-fitted to the fronts of your teeth.
In other words, whereas dental bonding is effective when it comes to covering or repairing a minor crack, chip or discoloring, it simply cannot wholly transform the appearance of your teeth like veneers can.
Frequently asked questions about the cost of dental bonding
How long does dental bonding last?
Dental bonding can last anywhere from 3-10 years before the composite resin material will erode or fall out and has to be replaced.
There are numerous factors that can play into how long your denal bonding is going to last. They include the overall health of the bonded teeth, how exposed the bonding material is to your bite, and whether or not you tend to grind your teeth.
Does dental bonding damage teeth?
No, dental bonding does not harm the teeth.
While dental bonding is considered a permanent procedure, the composite resin material will eventually wear away or chip away, leaving the tooth the way it was before you had the tooth bonding procedure.
Is bonding cheaper than veneers?
Yes, tooth bonding is generally a whole lot chaper than veneers.
While the cost of cosmetic dental procedures involving dental bonding starts from around $90 in The United States, the cost of veneers starts from around $900.
Having said that, it is worth noting that veneers, or at least porcelain veneers, tend to both look better and last much longer than bonding. To learn more about the pros and cons of both dental bonding and veneers, read our article on the topic here.
How long does it take to do bonding on one tooth?
Tooth bonding is one of the quickest cosmetic dentistry procedures there is – it shouldn’t take much more than 30 minutes to an hour.
Final thought
You may have trouble getting your insurance company to cover the cost of your dental bonding procedure, unless the reason you are having the procedure is not cosmetic but functional.
Then again, with the cost of dental bonding procedures costing as little as a hundred dollars, you may decide to go ahead and pay out of pocket for the procedure. Considering that dental bonding is able to quickly, painlessly and inexpensively better your smile by closing unwanted gaps in your teeth or giving a discolored tooth an instant makeover, cosmetic bonding can be a real confidence booster that is worth every penny.