Inlays and onlays

Inlays and Onlays

Improve the Function and Beauty of Your Teeth If your teeth are damaged from an injury or decay, then you may need to have inlays or onlays made by a dental laboratory to improve the function and aesthetics of your teeth.

When you visit our office for an examination, we will explain what types of dental restorations are required to repair the smaller cavities or major decay in your teeth.

Today, dental onlays or inlays are designed to look attractive in addition to providing a sturdy biting surface so that you can continue to chew hard foods.

Onlays and Inlays Take 2 Visits When you have a larger cavity on the creviced portion of a tooth, we may recommend an inlay that is made of porcelain or composite resins. But first, to determine if your tooth is healthy enough for an inlay instead of a crown, we will take an x-ray of the tooth.

Your dentist will measure the damaged area and order the restoration from a dental laboratory. During this visit, he will prepare the damaged area of the tooth by removing bacteria and protecting it with a temporary inlay.

Inlays and Onlays Don’t Require Removal of Your Dental Enamel After the permanent inlay arrives from the dental laboratory, the temporary inlay is removed so that we can make sure that the tooth is ready for the restoration.

With an inlay, you will not lose any structural portions of the tooth, but the inlay will prevent additional decay and make it possible to consume a normal diet.

You won’t need to provide specialized care for the inlay, but if the restoration becomes loose or damaged, then it is essential to visit our dental office right away for a repair.

Onlays Are Required When a Tooth’s Cusps Are Damaged When a tooth has extensive damage or decay, we may suggest an onlay for it instead of an inlay.

Onlays are designed to repair teeth that have damaged biting surfaces in addition to damaged cusp surfaces.

When an onlay is required, it is typically larger than an inlay because it will include an attractive and natural-looking cusp.

An onlay is more difficult to design and apply, but with one of these restorations, you won’t need a dental crown, which requires removing a tooth’s outer surface or roots.

Inlays/Onlays Match the Color of Your Teeth When an inlay or onlay is required for a tooth toward the back of your mouth, using durable metal to make the restoration is acceptable because no one can see it. However, if a damaged or decayed tooth is located toward the front of your mouth, then composite resin or porcelain is preferred because these materials are made to match the color of your teeth, creating a beautiful smile.