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Restorations
Dental Implants | Crowns & Bridges | Silver Fillings
Composite Fillings | Inlays & Onlays
Inlays & Onlays
The Problem:
Large existing filing or extensive decay
The Solution:
Inlays and onlays strengthen the tooth to prevent fracture. They replace whatever tooth structure is missing, fitting in like a piece to a jigsaw puzzle.
Why Inlays? Why Not Inlays?
Inlays are conservative, strong and very esthetic. When the outside walls of the tooth are also filled or decay, a full crown may be a better choice.
 Benefits Add Up Because Gold and Porcelain….
- Last Longer. Fluids in the mouth don’t affect these restorations. This isn’t the case with a silver amalgam or composite filling which will eventually begin to erode, deteriorate and chip away at the junction between the filling and tooth. This process allows for bacteria to collect, which causes new decay.
- Protect the tooth from further decay and breakage. This is because gold and porcelain inlays won’t shrink or expand once they’re cemented into the cavity, as a silver amalgam will, upon contact with hot or cold substances. Gold and porcelain restorations also lie flush to the gum and tooth. As a result, there are no spaces, overhangs or rough edges which develop between the reconstruction and tooth or gum. Spaces may become breeding places for bacteria, resulting in gum infections and ultimately breakage.
- Look great. They won’t discolor or shadow the remaining tooth structure or surrounding teeth as silver amalgam fillings will.
- Have maximum strength. Porcelain and gold inlays hold up under the forces exerted on tooth surfaces by chewing.
Inlays Do It All!
Gold and porcelain can be used to produce inlays and crowns. Their superior qualities make them: ideal for building back the natural shape of the tooth; providing additional strength to a restored tooth; and protecting a weakened tooth against possible fracture and decay. In addition, gold and porcelain require less removal of tooth structure than other restorations.
Indirect Composite/Porcelain Inlay
The other type of tooth colored restoration is called a Composite or Porcelain inlay. These are usually placed in back teeth when esthetics is of utmost concern. In order to increase the strength and longevity, they are fabricated in the laboratory and then bonded into position in the office. This is a two visit procedure rather than the one visit required to place a composite filling. However, when it comes to strength and cosmetics, the extra time and expense is well worth it!
Tooth Colored Inlays and Onlays
This is a major breakthrough in conservative dentistry. Some of us remember gold inlays and onlays and their long-lasting durability. But pretty? Not really; not by today’s standards. But you can possibly avoid caps and conserve tooth structure if you are a candidate for these tooth colored, lab processed, and beautifully crafted laser bonded inlays and onlays. An inlay is the preferred treatment when tooth decay or damage lies within the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is the needed treatment if the extent of damage is greater; requiring the new restoration to cover the entire chewing surface of one or more teeth cups tips. Inlays and onlays allow for the preservation and conservation of healthy tooth structure while strengthening it at the same time. After preparing and impressing, new high tech porcelain and resin materials are fabricated at the dental lab to custom fit and perfectly match your tooth color. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the inlay or onlay is then laser bonded onto your tooth to become “one,” natural looking tooth. Even dentists have been fooled by their appearance thinking they are natural teeth that have never been restored. And because of the strength of laser bonding, there is no need to cut away chunks of healthy tooth structure or grind the tooth down to a stub for the sake of retention. Only the decay and damaged tooth structure is removed. Hence, teeth will last longer and dental emergencies will be minimized.
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