CJ Henley, DMD, PA / San Marco, Jacksonville, Florida
Dental bonding in Jacksonville, FL.
Small fixes, done carefully, usually with little or no drilling.
Composite bonding is tooth-colored resin shaped right onto your teeth to fix chips, close small gaps and black triangles, and even out worn or uneven edges. Dr. Henley does every bonding case himself at our San Marco office, sculpting each tooth by hand with Filtek Supreme composite and a Bioclear matrix.
- 88%pooled survival of composite veneers in clinical trials followed about 2 to 8 years1
- 1.4%average yearly failure rate for front-tooth bonding on chipped teeth and gaps over about 7 years3
- 38%of adults in one study had black triangles between front teeth after orthodontic treatment5
- ≤6 teethis how many Dr. Henley usually bonds in one visit, so each one gets his full attention
Top-rated on Google: 4.9 stars from more than 225 patient reviews.
Composite bonding, explained
What is dental bonding?
Dental bonding, also called composite bonding, is a tooth-colored resin that a dentist adds to the surface of a tooth, shapes by hand, hardens with a curing light, and polishes. It changes the shape or color of a tooth in a single visit, and in most cases little or none of the natural tooth needs to be removed.
Think of bonding as adding rather than cutting. A veneer or crown is made in a lab, and the tooth usually has to be reduced so it fits. Bonding is built on the tooth in the chair, a layer at a time. The trade-off is that composite is a resin, not a ceramic, so it picks up stain more easily over the years. For the right problem it is quick, repairable, and kind to the tooth underneath.
Why the material and tools matter
- Filtek Supreme composite. A nanofilled composite with many shades and translucencies, so enamel-like layers can go over more opaque ones. That layering keeps bonding from looking flat.
- Bioclear matrix. Clear, curved bands that let composite form a smooth, natural curve at the gumline. They are especially useful for gaps and black triangles.
- Hand sculpting. No lab, no milling machine. Dr. Henley builds and polishes the shape in your mouth.
Chipped tooth repair and more
What bonding can fix.
Bonding works best for small, specific problems: chipped front teeth, small gaps between teeth, black triangles near the gums, uneven or worn edges, and some white spots or stains. It is usually not the best choice for big color changes across many teeth or for teeth that are badly broken down.
Chipped teeth
A corner knocked off a front tooth is one of the most common reasons for bonding. In a study of bonding on chipped front teeth and gaps followed about 7 years, the average yearly failure rate was about 1.4%, and the failures were fractures or color mismatch.3 If the chip just happened and the tooth hurts or a large piece broke off, see emergency dental care first.
Small gaps between teeth
A space between the front teeth (a diastema) can often be closed by adding composite to the sides of the teeth. Wider gaps may do better with clear aligners first, sometimes followed by a little bonding.
Black triangles
These are dark spaces near the gums where the gum no longer fills the gap between teeth. They are common after gum recession and after braces in adults; one study found them in 38% of adult orthodontic patients.5 Bonding with a Bioclear matrix can reshape the teeth so the space shrinks or closes.
Uneven or worn edges
Front teeth that have flattened over time or are slightly different lengths can be built back up. If grinding caused the wear, that needs attention too (see tooth grinding and bruxism).
Some white spots and discoloration
Shallow white spots or a small stained area can sometimes be covered with composite. Widespread staining often does better with whitening or porcelain.
Slightly small or misshapen teeth
A narrow or peg-shaped tooth can often be built out to match its neighbors.
Dental bonding in San Marco
How bonding is done at our office.
At our San Marco office, Dr. Henley does every step of a bonding case himself. For larger changes he can make a quick mock-up first. Composite is layered and shaped with a Bioclear matrix, hardened, and polished. Most cases need little or no drilling, and many need no numbing.
Look first
Dr. Henley checks your teeth, gums, and bite and asks what bothers you. Decay, cracks, gum inflammation, and any whitening come first.
Preview bigger changes
For more than a small chip, he can make a quick mock-up so you see the planned shape on your own teeth before anything is bonded.
Prepare the surface
The tooth is cleaned and the enamel lightly etched so the composite can grip it. There is often little or no drilling, though old bonding or a rough edge may need smoothing. Many patients don’t need numbing; we numb any time you want it or the work calls for it.
Layer and shape
Composite goes on in layers, with a Bioclear matrix guiding the shape at the gumline when it helps, and each layer is hardened with a curing light. Dr. Henley usually limits a visit to six teeth or fewer.
Polish and check your bite
The bonding is contoured and polished, and your bite is checked so the new edges don’t take more than their share of force.
Keep it smooth
If something feels rough or catches your lip in the first few days, call us and we’ll adjust it.
Composite bonding lifespan
How long does bonding last?
Bonding often lasts several years, and many cases go much longer, but it stains and roughens sooner than porcelain. In a pooled review of clinical trials, about 88% of composite veneers were still in service after roughly 2 to 8 years. The good news is that bonding is easy to polish, touch up, or repair.
Composite rarely fails all at once. Usually the surface loses some shine, a stain line appears at the edge, or a corner chips. Surface roughness, color mismatch, and edge staining were the complications reported most often for composite veneers.1 In reviews of front-tooth composite, fracture of the bonding or tooth was the most common reason for failure overall.2
How long yours lasts depends on your bite, grinding, diet, and the size of the bonding. In one study, stain-causing drinks were linked to more discoloration of bonding.3 Nobody can honestly promise a set number of years.
How to care for bonded teeth
- Brush and floss as usual. A soft brush and a low-abrasion toothpaste are kinder to the polish.
- Don’t bite hard things. Ice, pen caps, fingernails, and packages are common ways bonding chips.
- Rinse after dark drinks. Water after coffee, tea, or red wine helps.
- Wear your night guard if you grind.
- Keep your cleanings. Professional polishing brings back much of the shine.
A small chip in bonding is usually a quick repair, because new composite can be added to the old.
Bonding vs veneers vs crowns
Bonding vs. veneers vs. crowns.
Bonding is usually the most conservative and quickest option and is easy to repair, but it stains and wears sooner. Porcelain veneers hold their color longer and suit bigger changes, but usually need some enamel removed and several visits. Crowns cover the whole tooth and are for weak or heavily restored teeth.
| Composite bonding | Porcelain veneers | Crowns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Chips, small gaps, black triangles, worn edges, small shape changes | Larger changes in shape, color, or alignment of several front teeth | Teeth that are cracked, heavily filled, or weakened |
| Tooth removed | Little or none in most cases | Usually some enamel, kept as conservative as the plan allows | The most, all the way around the tooth |
| Visits | Usually one | Most cases take 3 visits over about a month | More than one, since the crown is made in a lab |
| Made by | Sculpted by Dr. Henley in your mouth | Handmade layered e.max porcelain by Paul Robert, a local ceramist at Dynamic Dental Solutions | Handmade by the same local ceramist |
| Stain resistance | Picks up stain and loses shine sooner | Porcelain keeps its color and shine well | Porcelain keeps its color and shine well |
| Typical lifespan | Often several years or more; about 88% of composite veneers lasted 2 to 8 years in pooled trials1 | About 89% survival at a median of 9 years in a pooled review4 | Depends on the tooth, bite, and material |
| Repairs | Easy to polish or add to | Small chips sometimes repaired with composite; larger problems mean a new veneer | Usually replaced if they break |
Learn more on our porcelain veneers and crowns and bridges pages. If you’re thinking about changing several teeth at once, our smile makeover page explains how we plan combined treatment.
Whitening before bonding
If you want whiter teeth, whiten first.
Composite does not whiten. Bleaching changes the color of natural teeth but not bonding, veneers, or crowns, so if you want your smile lighter, whitening comes first. The bonding is then matched to your new shade after the color settles, which usually means a short wait.
If teeth are bonded to match their current color and you whiten later, the bonding stays the same shade while the teeth around it lighten. The American Dental Association notes that only natural teeth respond to bleaching; tooth-colored restorations don’t change color.6 Bleaching may also reduce how strongly composite bonds to enamel for a while,6 so we wait before bonding. Dr. Henley will tell you how long.
Options range from over-the-counter strips when they’ll do, to custom trays from a digital scan, in-office Opalescence Boost, and internal bleaching for one dark tooth. See teeth whitening.
When bonding isn’t the answer
The limits of bonding.
Bonding is a great tool for small changes, but not for everything. Very dark teeth, big changes across many teeth, heavy grinding, wide gaps, and teeth with large fillings or cracks are often better served by aligners, porcelain, crowns, or a combination.
Part of Dr. Henley’s job is telling you when bonding is likely to disappoint. He’ll usually talk through other options when you have:
- Dark or deeply stained teeth. Composite thin enough to look natural may not hide very dark color underneath.
- Big changes on many teeth. Composite on eight or ten teeth needs more upkeep than porcelain. Some people are fine with that; others would rather do porcelain once.
- Heavy grinding or an edge-to-edge bite. Bonded edges take a lot of force. Fracture is the most common reason front-tooth composite fails.2
- Wide gaps or crowded teeth. Filling a wide gap can make teeth look too wide. Moving them first often looks better.
- Black triangles from significant bone loss. Bonding can make the space smaller, but gum health has to be stable first. See gum disease.
- Weak or heavily filled teeth. These may need a crown instead.
Replacing old bonding
Redoing old or failing bonding.
Old bonding that is stained, chipped, bulky, or a different color from your teeth can often be polished, resurfaced, or replaced. The first step is figuring out why it failed, whether that was the bite, how it was shaped, the material, or the gums around it, so the new bonding doesn’t run into the same problem.
Redos of bonding, veneers, and crowns done elsewhere are a significant share of our cosmetic consultations. With bonding, the fix is often simpler than people expect.
Common problems with older bonding
- Dull or stained surface. Often polishes up well. Sometimes a thin fresh layer is enough.
- A dark line at the edge. Shallow stain can be polished or touched up. If there is decay under the edge, the bonding needs to come off.
- Chips that keep coming back. Usually a bite issue or bonding too thin at the edge. Fix the cause, not just the chip.
- Bulky teeth or a ledge at the gums. Overbuilt bonding traps plaque. Reshaping or replacing it often helps.
- A color that no longer matches. Common after whitening, since bonding doesn’t change color.
Our veneer replacement page covers redos in more detail.
Cost of dental bonding in Jacksonville
What affects the cost of bonding.
The cost of bonding depends mostly on how many teeth are involved, how much each tooth needs, whether old bonding is removed, and whether whitening, a mock-up, or a night guard is part of the plan. We don’t publish fees, but you get the fee for each step in writing before treatment starts.
What drives the fee
The number of teeth, how much each one needs, how complex the shape and shading are, and whether old bonding has to come off first.
Related steps
Whitening, a mock-up, gum treatment, or a night guard may be part of the plan. You’ll know which apply before anything starts.
Insurance
We are an out-of-network practice. Plans often treat cosmetic bonding differently from repairing a broken tooth. Many plans still pay part of the cost, and our team will help you understand your benefits. You are responsible for what the plan doesn’t pay.
Ask before you decide
Call 904.398.1549 with your plan details to ask about fees and payment arrangements. Take whatever time you need to think it over.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about dental bonding.
Where can I get dental bonding in Jacksonville?
Dr. Henley does composite bonding at our office at 3675 Hendricks Avenue in San Marco, Jacksonville. He sees you himself from the first exam through the final polish, using Filtek Supreme composite and a Bioclear matrix. Call 904.398.1549 or request an appointment to start with a consultation.
Does dental bonding hurt?
Most people find it easy. Because bonding usually needs little or no drilling, many patients don’t need numbing. If a chip is near the nerve or old bonding has to come off, we numb the tooth, and you can always ask. Nitrous oxide is available too (see sedation dentistry).
How long does composite bonding last?
Often several years, and many cases go much longer with good care, but bonding stains and roughens sooner than porcelain. In pooled clinical trials, about 88% of composite veneers were still in service at roughly 2 to 8 years. Your bite, grinding, and diet all play a part, and no specific lifespan can be promised.
Is bonding or veneers better?
It depends on the change you want. Bonding is usually better for small fixes on a few teeth, saves tooth structure, and is easy to repair. Porcelain veneers suit bigger changes in color and shape and hold their shine longer.
Can bonding close the gap between my front teeth?
Often, yes, if the gap is small and your bite is in good shape. Composite is added to the sides of the teeth so they meet in the middle. A wide gap filled with composite can make teeth look too wide, so moving them first with clear aligners may look better.
Can bonding fix black triangles between my teeth?
In many cases. Using a curved Bioclear matrix, composite is shaped at the gumline so the teeth fill more of the space and the dark triangle shrinks or closes. Your gums need to be healthy and stable first. If the triangles come from bone loss, gum treatment may come before any bonding.
I just chipped my tooth. What should I do?
Save the piece if you find it, rinse gently, and call us at 904.398.1549. If the tooth hurts, is very sensitive to air or cold, or a large piece broke off, the nerve may be involved and it should be seen soon. See emergency dental care. Small chips can usually be bonded once the tooth checks out.
Can bonded teeth be whitened?
Your natural teeth can, but the bonding won’t change color. That’s why we suggest whitening before bonding if you want a lighter shade. If you already have bonding and whiten afterward, the bonding may need to be replaced to match.
Your next step
Talk with Dr. Henley about bonding.
If a chip, a gap, or uneven edges have been bothering you, start with a visit to our San Marco office. Dr. Henley will tell you whether bonding is a good fit, and what might work better if it isn’t. You can also read more in our blog post on composite bonding in Jacksonville.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA3675 Hendricks Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Prefer a nonurgent text? 904.762.5616 is our practice on-call and text line. Please don’t send sensitive health information by text, and call for anything urgent.
Related pages
Sources
- Lim TW, Tan SK, Li KY, Burrow MF. Survival and complication rates of resin composite laminate veneers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2023;23(4):101911.
- Demarco FF, Collares K, Coelho-de-Souza FH, Correa MB, Cenci MS, Moraes RR, Opdam NJM. Anterior composite restorations: a systematic review on long-term survival and reasons for failure. Dent Mater. 2015;31(10):1214-1224.
- Lempel E, Lovász BV, Meszarics R, Jeges S, Tóth Á, Szalma J. Direct resin composite restorations for fractured maxillary teeth and diastema closure: a 7 years retrospective evaluation of survival and influencing factors. Dent Mater. 2017;33(4):467-476.
- Morimoto S, Albanesi RB, Sesma N, Agra CM, Braga MM. Main clinical outcomes of feldspathic porcelain and glass-ceramic laminate veneers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of survival and complication rates. Int J Prosthodont. 2016;29(1):38-49.
- Kurth JR, Kokich VG. Open gingival embrasures after orthodontic treatment in adults: prevalence and etiology. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2001;120(2):116-123.
- American Dental Association. Whitening. Oral Health Topics. Accessed October 2026.