Cosmetic Inlays and Onlays

Dental inlays and onlays are restorations used to repair the back teeth that have a mild to moderate amount of decay. They can also be used to restore teeth that are cracked or fractured if the damage is not severe enough to require a crown. Inlays and onlays are usually made from porcelain, composite resin, and sometimes even from gold. The best way to visualize and to understand what an inlay or an onlay is is to think of a large filling that is made in a dental laboratory instead of within your mouth to achieve added strength, increased tooth support, and enhanced natural beauty. This large filling is bonded onto your tooth to replace decayed or fractured tooth structure and to prevent bacteria from entering and forming cavities.

Dental inlays are used to treat teeth that have decay or damage lying within their indented top/chewing surfaces. They can also be used to replace old or damaged metal fillings. An inlay is smaller than an onlay and does not involve the cusps of the teeth.

Dental onlays are very much like inlays, but a little bigger. Whereas dental inlays are designed to treat decay within the cusps, or top projections, of a tooth, onlays are used to treat decay or fractures that extend to one or more of the cusps.

Inlays/Onlays also help to conserve more tooth structure because their use requires minimal removal of the tooth’s surface which will help avoid the eventual need for more extensive treatment such as dental crowns, dental bridges, or dental implants.

Benefits of Dental Inlays and Onlays

• Since they can be made from tooth-colored material, including porcelain and composite resin, inlays and onlays are virtually invisible.
• Unlike metal fillings, inlays and onlays will not expand or contract in response to temperature changes caused by hot or cold foods. This change in size can cause teeth to weaken or fracture.
• The use of inlays and onlays requires less tooth reduction than does the use of metal fillings and crowns. This allows the dentist to conserve more of a patient’s natural tooth structure in the treatment process, thus extending the life of the tooth.
• Because of the way inlays and onlays are made, they help to strengthen teeth by up to 75 percent.
• The durable material from which inlays and onlays are made helps them last up to 30 years, much longer than that of conventional fillings.
• Inlays and onlays can replace silver fillings to create a healthier, more natural-looking smile.
• By saving decayed teeth, inlays and onlays prevent the need for more extensive treatment later on.

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Dr. Potts is committed to creating the smile that you have always wanted. For more information, don't hesitate to contact us!

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