Dentist Questions Dentist

Can bonding fix enamel erosion?

I have enamel erosion on my front teeth. Can bonding fix enamel erosion?

5 Answers

DentistDentist
Yes.
It won’t fix it, but it can replace damaged enamel.
Yes.
Bonding typically is a good conservative way to improve esthetics and possibly limit additional enamel erosion. While porcelain veneers or crowns would be a much more expensive and aggressive treatment, they tend to provide better esthetics and last longer. If bonding is done now, porcelain veneers would still be an option in the future.
Dental bonding, using composite resin or "white" filling material, can fill holes and voids. The voids can be from dental decay or a cavity, or it can be from acid erosion.

It's best to keep in mind that your bonding can wear down, too. Acids in the mouth that cause erosion (from acidic foods or from acidic saliva) can dissolve enamel and dental bonding materials too. So, when you use dental bonding to fill erosion craters and divots, it will wear off eventually and need to be re-done.

The value in bonding is that it protects the underlying natural enamel and dentin from further erosion. You're essentially creating a shield for your enamel and dentin, preventing further loss. The shield of bonding material will wear down, but better that than your natural tooth structure.

And, while you can't re-build your lost enamel, you can re-build the worn bondings!