“Does tooth bonding break easily?”
I am a 33 year old female. I wonder if tooth bonding breaks easily?
4 Answers
It depends, where is the location of the bonding? Do you clench or grind your teeth? Most bondings/fillings should last several years.
Dr. Khaja Mohsinuddin
Dr. Khaja Mohsinuddin
Tough answer because it depends on the application: generally speaking bonded fillings are strong but not as strong as porcelain and less durable than gold or well placed silver fillings.
Yes it is just plastic with glass beads in it. It is weaker than enemel.
Hello,
There are several different bonding composites that are used in dentistry today. They all have similar breaking strengths clinically; however, in a practical sense most people would say that they break easily. As far as a dentist is concerned there are a few different factors that play a role in how easily tooth bonding (composite) breaks. First of all, the size of the bonding plays a pretty big role. To most people they are all very little. However, there are times where the size of the bonding is more than the amount of tooth to bond to. This is a size problem. The foundation (tooth) is too small to support the house (bonding). However, a bonding that is very small is not very helpful either. When there is a tiny chip in a tooth that is being bonded, there is very little surface area for the bonding to stick to. So, it is really a delicate balance between size of the bonding and surface area that enhances the strength of the tooth bonding. Secondly, the area of the tooth plays a big role. A bonding that is right on the biting edge of a front tooth is going to take a lot more force than a bonding that is on the front surface of that tooth. This would make it seem like it breaks easier. Finally, tooth alignment and habits will make a bonding break the easiest. If a bonding is on the biting edge of a front (anterior) tooth and the person's natural bite has upper and lower teeth biting edge to edge; this will generate more force on the bonding than someone whose teeth overlap. Also, sometimes a person's profession can lead them to habits that will break a bonding. I have known a few hair stylists that would hold bobby pins between their front teeth. This wears out the front teeth and any bonding that is done to repair it.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
There are several different bonding composites that are used in dentistry today. They all have similar breaking strengths clinically; however, in a practical sense most people would say that they break easily. As far as a dentist is concerned there are a few different factors that play a role in how easily tooth bonding (composite) breaks. First of all, the size of the bonding plays a pretty big role. To most people they are all very little. However, there are times where the size of the bonding is more than the amount of tooth to bond to. This is a size problem. The foundation (tooth) is too small to support the house (bonding). However, a bonding that is very small is not very helpful either. When there is a tiny chip in a tooth that is being bonded, there is very little surface area for the bonding to stick to. So, it is really a delicate balance between size of the bonding and surface area that enhances the strength of the tooth bonding. Secondly, the area of the tooth plays a big role. A bonding that is right on the biting edge of a front tooth is going to take a lot more force than a bonding that is on the front surface of that tooth. This would make it seem like it breaks easier. Finally, tooth alignment and habits will make a bonding break the easiest. If a bonding is on the biting edge of a front (anterior) tooth and the person's natural bite has upper and lower teeth biting edge to edge; this will generate more force on the bonding than someone whose teeth overlap. Also, sometimes a person's profession can lead them to habits that will break a bonding. I have known a few hair stylists that would hold bobby pins between their front teeth. This wears out the front teeth and any bonding that is done to repair it.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
