What is composite bonding?

A tooth-coloured resin is applied directly to the tooth, shaped by the dentist and hardened with a light - to close a small gap, rebuild a chipped edge, or reshape and brighten a tooth. It is usually completed in a single visit and normally needs little or no drilling.

How do composite veneers differ from porcelain veneers?

Composite veneers are built up in the chair from tooth-coloured resin, usually in one visit and with little or no drilling, and they can be repaired or added to later. Porcelain veneers are made by a ceramist, usually need a thin layer of enamel removing, which cannot be undone, and take at least two treatment visits; in return they hold their colour and surface better and generally last longer. Composite stains, loses its shine and chips more easily, so it needs more upkeep. Your dentist will tell you which suits your teeth and what you want to change.

Does composite bonding hurt?

Most bonding needs little or no drilling, so many people have it without an injection and find it comfortable. If a tooth does need some preparation, or you find it uncomfortable, your dentist can numb it with local anaesthetic first. Your teeth may feel a little different at first, while you get used to the new shape.

How many years does composite bonding last?

There is no fixed number, and bonding does not last for ever. In clinical studies most composite veneers and build-ups were still in place after five years, and many last longer, usually with polishing and the odd small repair along the way. Heavy grinding, biting nails or pens, a root-filled tooth, and staining food, drink and smoking all shorten its life, and in time it will need replacing.

Is composite bonding reversible?

Not entirely. Because bonding is added to the tooth, usually with little or no drilling, most of your enamel is left in place. But the composite is bonded firmly to the enamel, and removing all of it without touching the enamel underneath is very difficult. So think of bonding as a long-term choice rather than something you can simply undo, and ask your dentist what removing or replacing it later would involve.

Can composite bonding be whitened?

No. Whitening lightens natural teeth but does not change the colour of composite, so bonding keeps the shade it was matched to. If you would like lighter teeth, whiten them before the bonding is placed, so it can be matched to your new shade. If you whiten after bonding, the bonding will not lighten with your teeth, so it may need refreshing or replacing to match.

Can composite bonding be repaired if it chips?

Often, yes. Composite can usually be added to or repaired in the chair rather than redone from scratch, which is one of its advantages over porcelain. If a piece chips or comes away, call us on 0131 228 2442. Your dentist will tell you what the repair involves, and what it costs, before doing it.

Can one chipped tooth be bonded on its own?

Yes. A single chipped or worn edge can be rebuilt with edge bonding and matched to the colour and shape of the teeth beside it. Your dentist checks the tooth first and will tell you if anything else is needed.

Can bonding close gaps or fix crooked teeth?

It can close small gaps and disguise minor unevenness, but it cannot move teeth. Crowded, rotated or protruding teeth are usually better straightened first, for example with Invisalign clear aligners, and bonding can then fine-tune the shape. Your dentist will look at your bite and tell you honestly which route suits you.

Is composite bonding available on the NHS?

Bonding to change how your teeth look is a private treatment: in Scotland, treatment that is mainly cosmetic is usually private. If a front tooth is decayed, chipped or broken and your dentist judges that it needs repairing for a clinical reason, tooth-coloured fillings on front teeth are available on the NHS, with the usual NHS charges unless you are exempt, and we provide NHS fillings for patients registered with us. City Dental Care is a mixed NHS and private practice, currently accepting new NHS and private patients, and you can mix NHS and private care. If a tooth has had an NHS filling in the last 12 months, private bonding on it ends the NHS free repair or replacement for that filling, and your dentist will tell you if that applies. You will be told whether any treatment is NHS or private, and what it costs, before it starts.

How do I book a bonding consultation?

Book online through our website, or call the practice on 0131 228 2442. We are open until 8pm Monday to Thursday, and until 5pm on Friday.

Where is the practice?

We are at 9 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9BN - at Tollcross in central Edinburgh, minutes from Fountainbridge and Bruntsfield, and a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Is there parking at the practice?

Yes - the Princes Exchange Car Park is in our own building, accessed from Riego Street at the rear (9/2 Riego Street, EH3 9BL). Parking is payable: £3 for 1 hour, or £5 for up to 3 hours. The car park opens at 9.30am, so if you are driving to an earlier appointment we suggest street parking nearby. Blue Badge holders can park free on Fountainbridge, and we are a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Before and after composite bonding to rebuild chipped, uneven upper front teeth - a City Dental Care patient of Dr Amir — Chipped, uneven front teeth rebuilt with bonding across the upper front teeth, not edge bonding alone. Case by Dr Amir Shahrbabaki (GDC 318837).

Composite Bonding in Edinburgh

Composite bonding, also called teeth bonding or dental bonding, adds tooth-coloured composite resin to your teeth to repair chips, close small gaps, even out worn or uneven edges and change their shape or shade. It is usually done in one visit, with little or no drilling. At City Dental Care, on 9 Earl Grey Street at Tollcross in central Edinburgh, we offer edge bonding for the biting edges of the teeth, and full bonding over the whole front of the tooth, often called composite veneers. The results on this page are our own patients, shown with their consent.

It starts with a free consultation with one of our dentists, who will tell you honestly whether bonding, or something else, would get you the result you want. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination.

Transparent pricing

Edge bonding from £175 per toothFull composite bonding from £350 per tooth

Bundle pricing may apply for several teeth. 0% finance available on private treatment from £250 up to £5,000, over 6, 9, 10, 11 or 12 months.

Book a Consultation See real bonding results Bonding cost guide: what decides the total Compare with porcelain veneers

What Composite Bonding Is

Your dentist matches a composite resin to the colour of your teeth, applies it straight onto the tooth, sculpts it by hand to the shape you've agreed, then hardens it with a light and polishes it. Because it is added to the tooth rather than cut into it, it usually needs little or no drilling, so more of your natural tooth is kept than with porcelain veneers or a crown. It changes how teeth look; it does not move them, and it does not whiten.

What Bonding Can Fix, and When It Isn't Right

Composite bonding can:

Repair chipped or broken edges on front teeth
Close small gaps between front teeth
Reshape teeth that look short, narrow, uneven or slightly misshapen, including small, peg-shaped side teeth (peg laterals)
Rebuild worn edges, once your dentist has checked the cause of the wear
Cover discolouration that whitening alone won't shift
Disguise minor unevenness, on its own or after straightening

It may not be the right choice, or other treatment may need to come first, if you:

Grind or clench your teeth heavily, which makes composite chip sooner; your dentist may suggest a night guard
Have crowded, rotated or protruding teeth, which are usually better straightened first with Invisalign clear aligners
Have decay or gum disease, which is treated first; a cavity is repaired with a filling
Have teeth that are heavily filled, broken down or root-filled, which may need the fuller protection of a crown
Want a bigger change that resists staining with little upkeep, where porcelain veneers may suit you better

At your consultation your dentist looks at your teeth, gums and bite, and will tell you if bonding isn't the right answer for your teeth. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book.

Edge Bonding or Full Bonding: Which Do Your Teeth Need?

Edge bonding, for the biting edges (from £175 per tooth):

Composite is added along the biting edges of the front teeth to rebuild a chip, even up teeth of different lengths or tidy worn edges. It can be a single tooth, matched to the teeth beside it, or several front teeth after whitening or aligners. Where edges are worn, your dentist checks the cause first and, if you grind your teeth, may suggest a night guard to protect the new edges. The rest of the tooth keeps its natural surface, so it suits a small, local change.

Full composite bonding, over the whole front of the tooth (from £350 per tooth):

Composite covers the whole visible front of the tooth, so its shape, shade and proportions can all change. This is what is often called a composite veneer, and the front teeth that show when you smile are usually planned together so they look even.

Composite Veneers, Explained

A composite veneer is a layer of tooth-coloured composite built up over the front of a tooth: full composite bonding under another name. Composite veneers are usually made directly on your teeth in the chair rather than in a laboratory, so the bonding itself is usually done in one visit, with little or no drilling. Composite can be polished, added to and repaired in the chair, so a chip does not usually mean starting again.

The trade-off is upkeep. Composite stains more easily than porcelain, loses its shine over time and can chip, so composite veneers need more looking after and are generally refreshed or replaced sooner. Porcelain veneers hold their colour and surface for longer, but usually mean removing a thin layer of enamel, which cannot be undone. Your dentist can talk you through both at your consultation.

To see composite veneers made step by step, from the first photographs to the polished result, read our composite veneers case study with Dr Amir.

Composite Bonding Results From Our Patients

These are City Dental Care patients, shown with their consent. The cases below, like the first photo on this page, are bonding across the upper front teeth rather than edge bonding alone. Every mouth is different, so your dentist will show you what is realistic for yours.

Before and after composite bonding on the upper front teeth - a City Dental Care patient of Dr Amir — Bonding to reshape the upper front teeth. Case by Dr Amir Shahrbabaki (GDC 318837).

Before and after composite bonding across the upper front teeth - a City Dental Care patient of Dr Amir — Bonding across the upper front teeth. Case by Dr Amir Shahrbabaki (GDC 318837).

Before and after composite bonding with teeth whitening - a City Dental Care patient — Composite bonding with teeth whitening, a City Dental Care patient.

Composite bonding at City Dental Care is done by Dr Amir Hussein Shahrbabaki (GDC 318837; BDS 2024, CEU Cardenal Herrera, Spain), a general dentist with a strong interest in cosmetic and restorative dentistry who particularly enjoys treatments such as composite bonding, and by Dr Feras Elbiss (GDC 303408; MDDr 2022, Charles University, Czech Republic), a dentist with postgraduate work in restorative and aesthetic dentistry, endodontics and occlusion. The first photo on this page and the cases captioned with Dr Amir's name above are his. See more results in our smile gallery, and read about all our dentists on our staff page.

If You Want Whiter Teeth Too

Whitening lightens natural teeth, but it does not change the colour of composite. So if you would like a lighter shade, the usual order is to whiten your teeth first, then have the bonding matched to your new shade. Your dentist will tell you how long to wait between the two. If your teeth also need straightening, that usually comes before both.

How Composite Bonding Is Done

After your consultation, the bonding itself is usually done in one visit, though a bigger case, or treatment needed first, can add to that. Your dentist will tell you how many visits your plan needs, and roughly how long each will take, before you commit to anything.

Consultation:

Your dentist looks at your teeth, gums and bite, listens to what you want to change, and tells you honestly whether bonding will get you there, or whether whitening, aligners or veneers would serve you better. Decay or gum disease is treated before any cosmetic work. The consultation is free. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination. If you need or want a full examination, it is charged at our published private fee: £85 for new patients and £55 for existing patients, x-rays included. NHS examinations are free for NHS patients of the practice.

Plan and price in writing:

Which teeth, edge or full bonding for each, the shade, and the total cost, all agreed before anything starts.

Treatment:

The tooth surface is cleaned and prepared so the composite bonds to it. Bonding usually needs little or no drilling, and many people have it without an injection; your dentist will numb the tooth first if it needs it. The composite is built up in layers, shaped by hand and hardened with a light, tooth by tooth.

Finishing and your bite:

Your dentist refines the shape, checks how your teeth meet and polishes the surface. Your teeth may feel a little different at first; if anything catches when you bite or speak, tell us and your dentist can adjust it.

Looking After Your Bonding

Composite is more porous than enamel, so it needs a little more care to keep it looking good:

Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth every day
Keep up your check-ups and hygiene visits; bonding that has lost its shine can be polished
Tea, coffee, red wine, strongly coloured spices and smoking all stain composite over time
Don't bite your nails, chew pens or ice, or use your teeth to open packets
Wear a mouthguard for contact sports
If you grind your teeth, wear the night guard your dentist recommends

If a piece chips or comes away, call us on 0131 228 2442. Chips can often be repaired rather than redone, and your dentist will tell you what a repair involves, and what it costs, before doing it.

Risks, and How Long Bonding Lasts

Like any dental treatment, bonding has limits and risks, and your dentist will talk them through before you decide:

Composite can chip or break, which is the most common problem
It can pick up stains, especially along the edges, and lose its shine over time
It wears, and occasionally a piece comes away from the tooth
Your bite, or how some words sound, can feel different at first and may need a small adjustment
It isn't fully reversible: composite can be removed, but taking all of it off without touching the enamel underneath is very difficult

Bonding does not last for ever. In clinical studies most composite veneers and build-ups were still in place after five years, and many last longer, with polishing and the odd small repair along the way; in time it will need replacing. Heavy grinding or clenching, a root-filled tooth, smoking and how well you look after your teeth all make a difference.

Alternatives to Composite Bonding

Bonding isn't the only way to change how your teeth look. Your dentist will talk these through with you at your consultation.

Teeth whitening:

If colour is the main concern, teeth whitening may be enough on its own, with nothing added to your teeth.

Porcelain veneers:

For a bigger change, or teeth that are heavily worn or discoloured, porcelain veneers hold their colour and surface better than composite, but usually mean removing a thin layer of enamel, which cannot be undone.

Invisalign:

If the teeth are crowded or out of line, straightening them with Invisalign clear aligners may be all you need, or can mean less bonding afterwards.

A crown:

A tooth that is heavily filled or broken may need the fuller protection of a dental crown.

Why Have Bonding at City Dental Care?

Real, consented results:

The cases on this page and in our smile gallery are our own patients, shown with their consent - not stock photographs.

The price in writing, first:

Edge bonding from £175 and full bonding from £350 per tooth, published here and on our price list, with a written plan before treatment and 0% finance on private treatment from £250.

Honest advice:

If whitening, aligners, veneers or a crown would serve you better, we'll say so, rather than recommend bonding that doesn't suit your teeth.

A free consultation:

Find out what is possible for your teeth before you commit to anything. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination.

NHS and private in one practice:

We're a mixed NHS and private practice, currently accepting new NHS and private patients, so you can keep your check-ups here on the NHS and have bonding privately.

Central, with late opening:

The practice is open until 8pm Monday to Thursday (until 5pm on Friday), on 9 Earl Grey Street at Tollcross, a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Paying for Your Bonding

Edge bonding is from £175 per tooth and full composite bonding from £350 per tooth, and if several teeth are being treated, bundle pricing may apply. Your treatment and its cost are set out in a written plan before anything starts. See our full price list, or spread the cost with 0% finance on private treatment from £250 up to £5,000, repaid by monthly Direct Debit over 6, 9, 10, 11 or 12 months. Our guide to how much composite bonding costs goes through what decides the total and what a quote should include.

Bonding to change how your teeth look is a private treatment. If a front tooth is decayed, chipped or broken and your dentist judges that it needs repairing for a clinical reason, a tooth-coloured filling can be provided on the NHS for patients registered with us: see fillings on the NHS and privately.

Book Your Bonding Consultation