What are inlays and onlays?
Dental inlays and onlays are conservative restorative treatments for teeth with large fractures or high levels of decay. They cover more of your tooth than a filling, but they’re not as extensive as a crown.
An inlay repairs damage between the tooth’s cusps, while an onlay covers more of your tooth and extends to the cusps of your tooth. Both inlays and onlays have strength and protection similar to a crown, while preserving more of your healthy tooth structure. Inlays and onlays are preferred alternatives to crowns as they maintain the healthy parts of your tooth and minimize the risk of needing a root canal in the future.
Preparing for an Inlay or Onlay
Before placing inlays and onlays, we remove decayed, fractured, and damaged portions of your tooth. We then clean and sanitize the area so that it’s ready for your inlay or onlay.
CEREC technology
CEREC (chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics) technology enables us to create same-day dental inlays and onlays.
Traditionally, we had to take dental impressions and wait weeks for your inlays or onlays to be created. CERAC technology uses 3D images and scans to create a digital model of your mouth and teeth. We then use a computer program to design an inlay or onlay that perfectly fits your tooth. Then, we use a CEREC mill to carve the inlay or onlay. After we polish the inlay or onlay, we bond it to your tooth.
What to expect after your Inlay or Onlay
One of the great things about dental inlays and onlays in is that they don’t require any special care; you can brush and floss them like normal. It’s normal for your teeth or gums to feel sore and sensitive after we place your inlay or onlay. This usually subsides within a few days. Warm salt water rinses, sensitive toothpaste, and over-the-counter pain medicines (like ibuprofen and acetaminophen) can help keep you comfortable.
How do inlays and onlays improve your oral health?
When you don’t repair a damaged tooth, the damage will worsen, affecting the health of the tooth and your oral health. Unchecked tooth damage can spread to your mouth’s tissues, leading to an infection. A severely infected tooth may require a root canal or even tooth extraction. Once you extract a tooth, you’re likely to experience complications associated with a missing tooth, like jawbone loss and gum recession. dental inlays and onlays repair your damaged tooth so that it doesn’t affect your other teeth or cause additional oral health problems.
What are the benefits of inlays and onlays?
Inlays and onlays have numerous benefits that make them ideal for repairing damaged or decaying teeth:
Inlays and Onlays can strengthen your teeth
A dental inlay or onlay uses durable materials that help reinforce and strengthen your damaged tooth. The bonding process that we use to attach the inlay or onlay can also bolster your tooth and minimize the progression of fractures.
Inlays and Onlays have long lifespans
Dental inlays and onlays can last 10 to 20 years, making them a terrific alternative for long-term dental restoration.
You can fix your tooth in a single appointment
Thanks to innovative CEREC technology, we can repair and restore your tooth with CEREC same-day dental inlays and onlays in one appointment.
Dental treatments for all ages.
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