DENTAL INLAYS & ONLAYS
Dental inlays and onlays are
restorations used to repair rear 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 dental crown. Inlays and onlays are usually made from
porcelain, composite resin, and sometimes even from gold. Because
they can be created from tooth-colored materials, inlays and
onlays are often used to replace metal fillings for patients who
desire a more natural looking smile. Read on to find out about how
inlays and onlays may be able to enhance your smile’s health and
appearance.
DENTAL INLAYS
Dental inlays are used to treat
teeth that have decay or damage lying within their indented top
surfaces. They can also be used to replace old or damaged metal
fillings. Inlay placement is usually carried out over two
appointments. During your first visit to the dentist, an
impression of your tooth will be taken, and a temporary inlay will
be placed over the tooth. The dentist will send the impression off
to a dental lab, which will create the inlay to match your tooth's
specifications. When you return to the dentist's office, the
temporary inlay will be removed and the permanent one will be
placed carefully over your tooth. There is no downtime after
receiving a dental inlay, only a mild level of tenderness in the
treated area, so you can return to work or other activities as
soon as you leave the office.
Since dental inlays and onlays can be made
from durable, tooth-colored porcelain, they offer much more
enduring and natural-looking results than metal fillings. In
addition, their customized nature allows dentists to securely bond
them to the tooth surface, adding structural integrity and
preventing bacteria from entering and forming cavities.
DENTAL
ONLAYS
Whereas dental inlays are designed to
treat decay within the cusps, or top projections, of a tooth,
onlays are used to treat decay that extends to one or more of
the cusps. Onlays are placed in much the same way as inlays.
First, an impression of the decayed tooth is taken, and a
temporary onlay is placed over the tooth. The impression is then
sent to a lab, where a dental technician creates the onlay
according to the tooth’s dimensions. When the patient returns to
the dentist's office, the temporary onlay is removed, and the
permanent restoration is placed on the tooth and securely bonded
using high-strength dental resins.
Like dental inlays, onlays can be created
from tooth-colored material, which makes them virtually
undetectable to the naked eye. Onlays also help to conserve more
tooth structure because their use requires minimal removal a
tooth’s surface. Perhaps their most important benefit, however, is
that, in saving damaged teeth, onlays help patients avoid the
eventual need for more extensive treatment with
dental
crowns & bridges, or
dental implants.
Benefits of
Dental Inlays and Onlays
In treating dental decay, inlays and
onlays help to eliminate tooth sensitivity and eventual tooth
loss. Inlays and onlays also offer the following benefits:
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Since they can be made from
tooth-colored material, including porcelain and composite resin,
inlays and onlays are virtually invisible.
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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.
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The use of inlays and onlays requires
less tooth reduction than does the use of metal fillings. This
allows dentists to conserve more of a patient’s natural tooth
structure in the treatment process.
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Because of the way inlays and onlays
are made, they help to strengthen teeth by up to 75 percent.
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The durable material from which inlays
and onlays are made helps them last up to 30 years, much longer
than that of conventional fillings.
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Inlays and onlays can replace silver
fillings to create a healthier, more natural-looking smile.
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By saving decayed teeth, inlays and
onlays prevent the need for more extensive treatment later on.
