Poor oral habits lead to huge dental problems. Sometimes a filling is not enough, as when a tooth damages, it begins to lose strength and may require additional strength with a Dental Inlay or Dental Onlay.
Dental Inlays and Onlays are restorations used to repair your posterior teeth that have a mild to moderate amount of decay and teeth that are cracked or fractured if the damage is not severe enough to require a full crown on the tooth. Inlays and onlays are sometimes used to replace metal fillings for those who desire a more natural looking smile. Inlays and onlays are made from porcelain and sometimes even gold.
Inlays and Onlays are often made with tooth-color matched porcelain material, which makes them virtually undetectable to the naked eye. Both inlays and onlays help to conserve more tooth structure because their use requires minimal removal of a tooth’s surface and help patients avoid the eventual need for more extensive treatment with dental crowns. Their customized nature allows your dentist to securely bond them to the tooth surface, adding structural integrity and preventing bacteria from entering and forming cavities with the following proper oral hygiene care.
Dental Inlays are used for teeth with decay or damage confined to within their indented top surfaces and can be used to replace old or damaged metal (amalgam or silver). The inlay procedure usually is a two appointment procedure. During your first visit, the tooth is prepared, then an exact impression is taken of your tooth. A temporary inlay is then placed on the tooth until your second visit. The dentist sends the impression off to the dental lab, for the fabrication of the inlay to match your tooth’s specifications. When you return for your second visit to the dentist’s office, the temporary inlay is removed and the permanent one is carefully placed and cemented onto the prepared tooth. You may leave the office and resume your normal activities without any downtime.
Dental Onlays are designed to treat decay or damage that extends to one or more of the cusps of the tooth, while the inlay treats decay and damage within the confines of the indented top surfaces. This is how they differ: Inlay protects the interior structure and Onlay protects the structural cusps or corner foundations of the tooth that are damaged.
The onlays are placed the same way as the inlay. The first visit, an exact impression of the decayed or damaged tooth is taken and a temporary onlay is placed over the tooth. The dentist sends the impression off to the dental lab, for the fabrication of the onlay to match your tooth’s specifications. When you return for your second visit to the dentist’s office, the temporary only is removed and the permanent one is carefully placed and cemented onto the prepared tooth. You may leave the office and resume your normal activities without any downtime.
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