Inlays And Onlays Specialist

What is a dental inlay?

When your cavity is too large for a standard filling, your dentist may recommend you have an inlay instead. An inlay is fabricated in a dental lab. It’s shaped into a solid piece that exactly matches the contours of the empty space left in your tooth after all the decayed material is removed. It’s cemented in place and used to fill empty areas inside your tooth that occur between the cusps (top edges).

What is a dental onlay?

Unlike an inlay that fills the inner area between the cusps, an onlay covers a portion of the tooth cusp and outer surface structure above the gum line. It’s less extensive than a crown, which completely covers the biting surface of your tooth as well as the structure above your gums. An onlay is also fabricated in a dental lab and is shaped to exactly match the area of the tooth being restored.

What is the procedure like for dental inlays and onlays?

A standard filling is usually completed in one visit, but inlay and onlay procedures typically require two office visits. Your dentist uses the first appointment to thoroughly clear the decayed and damaged material from your tooth. He then creates a mold of the resulting empty space and sends it to the dental lab for fabrication.

He then seals the hole in your tooth with a temporary filling or covers the affected space with a temporary soft onlay. After it’s returned by the lab, your dentist uses the second visit to cement the fabricated inlay or onlay into place.

Rather than simply recommending a generic dental procedure, the dental professionals at Creative Dimensions in Dentistry are focused on creating treatment plans tailored to your needs and individual circumstance. That’s why they sometimes recommend inlays or onlays and take the time to discuss all available options, so you can make informed decisions about your dental health.

Call Creative Dimensions in Dentistry today for an appointment, or click to schedule your visit using the online service that’s available anytime.