But relatively few patients have experienced the many benefits of dental bonding, which is one of the least expensive ways to address oral health issues and start a smile makeover. It is made of a composite resin, a biocompatible plastic that once applied can improve your smile and bite in a number of ways.

Let’s say you love coffee, tea, and red wine, or strongly colored sodas and foods  like blueberries and tomatoes, so even professional whitening is not able to remove the stains. Bonding can cover discolored teeth with a shade that exactly matches the teeth it is not being applied to so they match.

It can also be done more quickly in one visit and with less enamel needing to be removed than veneers require in two visits (since veneers have to be crafted by a dental lab). The procedure does not require anesthesia, just some roughening of the outer surface and a conditioning liquid applied so that the bonding adheres well. Finally, a special light is used to harden the bonding, which generally lasts 3-10 years with good oral hygiene habits (veneers, with care, are often a solution for 10 years or more).

Other ways bonding can provide a more affordable alternative to veneers include covering chips, making teeth that are shorter than their neighbors look longer, improving the shape of teeth, and covering gaps between them.

If teeth have been ground down unconsciously from tension in the jaw when you sleep, bonding can provide a cover to keep them from further damage, just as dental crowns do, and your dentist can provide you with a customized nightguard to wear at night to take the pressure off your bite. In the event you smile widely or laugh loudly, even this can add to your smile makeover.

If the roots of some of your teeth have been exposed because of periodontal (gum) disease, bonding can protect them and make those teeth less sensitive, while enhancing your smile.