Dental bonding is a procedure in which acrylic resin is bonded to dentin (the material that teeth are made out of) in order to enhance the appearance of the teeth. Dental bonding can repair minor damage to teeth, as well as improve appearance problems caused by irregular size or discoloration.
The Discovery of Dental Bonding
Dental bonding was discovered by a Swiss chemist named Oskar Haggar. He developed the very first dental bonding technique in 1949.
The First Dental Bonding Resins
The first dental bonding resin manufactured for general use was Cervident, produced by the SS White Co. located in King of Prussia, PA. Cervident's formula allowed it to penetrate the tooth to bond with the calcium in the dentin. However, Cervident's bonding capabilities weren't strong enough to allow its use for long term dental bonding. Later dental bonding resins used phosphate bonding systems and were stronger, but not strong enough.
Success with Dental Bonding
Eventually, dental chemists came up with self-etching bonding adhesives, which allow the bonding agent to begin sinking into the porous surface of the tooth immediately. These dental bonding adhesives attach the dental bonding resin to the surface of the tooth so well that it can remain there for up to five years.
