Keeping your child's oral health in good shape should be a top priority for parents. If you've seen dental bonding advertised before, you may have questions about how it could help your child and just how it does that. Read this quick guide to understand more about dental bonding. By the end, you'll know if it's right for your kid.

What is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a procedure that dentists typically perform on kids and adolescents. Dental bonding is designed to protect teeth from the risk of cavities and other kinds of damage induced by bacteria, plaque, or tartar. Dental bonding can also be used on adults, but it's typically recommended for kids who don't take good enough care of their dental health or are planning on getting braces soon that will prevent them from being able to clean their teeth as easily.

How it Helps

Dental bonding acts like a shield between the things that trigger tooth decay and your child's tooth. The dental bonding is a solid layer that has to be broken through in order to even begin getting to the enamel of your child's tooth. Since dental bonds aren't organic, it's much harder for bacteria to break through them like they can with enamel and other portions of the tooth, like the pulp or dentin.

How it's Applied

Dental bonding is a very simple process for anyone to undergo, and your child won't have to worry about it hurting. Believe it or not, dental bonding application is just about as simple as putting on nail polish.

Your dentist will clean your child's teeth thoroughly and examine them for any problems before beginning. If everything's in good shape, the dental bonding will be delicately painted onto the chewing surfaces of your child's teeth. Once applied, depending on the type of bonding material, the dental bonds will either dry on their own while you wait or a hardening light will be used to speed up the process.

Once all your child's teeth are coated and sealed, the entire process is over. Your child shouldn't feel any difference in their teeth, but you can be certain that they have extra protection against cavities.

Cavities can be a real problem for kids before they develop more dedicated oral hygiene habits that most adults keep. If you want to give your child a hand and reduce their risk of cavities, talk to a family dentistry office about bonding at your next appointment.