- General Dentistry |
- Cosmetic Dentistry |
- Bonding |
- Composite Fillings |
- Lumineers by Cerinate |
- Porcelain Veneers |
- Crowns |
- Inlays & Onlays |
- Teeth Whitening |
- Bridges |
- Full and Partial Dentures |
- Endodontics |
- Periodontics |
- Implant Dentistry |
- Orthodontics
Inlays & Onlays
Inlays and onlays are two excellent ways of repairing a damaged or decayed tooth, usually a back tooth. They’re good repair options when the tooth doesn’t need a crown, but does need strengthening as well as filling. Inlays and onlays strengthen the tooth by being bonded to it, unlike standard fillings, which traditionally are not bonded, but just tightly fitted in the cavity.
- Standard fillings are done in one office visit
- Inlays and onlays need two visits because they’re made in a lab and then bonded to your tooth during the second visit
How do inlays and onlays differ from each other?
- Inlays – are needed when the tooth damage is contained within the tips of the tooth
- Onlays – are needed if the damage extends over the tips and covers part of the tooth’s outside surface, but not so extensively as to require a crown
Decide what material to use
Once the Dentist, has determined that an inlay or onlay is the best treatment, the next decision is what type of material to use.
- Gold is very long-lasting, but also very visually obvious
- Dental composite resin is durable and tooth-colored, so not as obvious as gold
- Porcelain is durable and tooth-colored, and is also translucent, meaning that light travels through it the way it travels through natural tooth enamel, bouncing back off the underlying dentin (in the case of enamel) or cement (in the case of porcelain), to give that sheen that natural teeth have
After a couple of days you’ll be accustomed to the new tooth shape and be able to eat your usual diet.
Porcelain inlays and onlays are a popular cosmetic dentistry procedure, giving your teeth a natural luster and blending imperceptibly with the natural tooth.
