Composite bonding
Tooth-coloured resin sculpted onto your teeth to reshape edges, close small gaps and brighten your smile — usually in one appointment.
How long
1–2 hours, single visit
How long it lasts
Typically 3–7 years with good care
Anaesthetic
Usually none needed
What's involved
Composite bonding uses a putty-like resin matched to the shade of your natural teeth. The dentist lightly prepares the surface, sculpts the resin by hand, then hardens it with a curing light before polishing.
It is one of the few cosmetic treatments that is reversible in most cases — little or no natural tooth is removed — which is why it's popular for chipped edges, uneven lengths and small gaps.
Because it's done chairside in a single visit, bonding is the go-to option when you have a wedding, shoot or event coming up and no time for lab-made work.
Common questions
- Does composite bonding hurt?
- For most people it's painless and no injection is needed, because the tooth is rarely drilled.
- How long does it last?
- Around 3–7 years. It can stain over time, so avoiding heavy coffee, red wine and smoking helps.
- Can it be repaired?
- Yes — chips and stains can usually be polished or patched without redoing the whole tooth.