About Dental Inlays & Onlays

About Dental Inlays & Onlays

May 05, 2018

When your tooth becomes damaged due to any reason, there are quite a few different ways to repair the damage. Depending on the extent and the type of damage, your dentist can choose between a range of different procedures to restore your tooth. If you damage your tooth due to trauma and it becomes cracked, or if you have an extensive cavity that decays a large portion of the tooth, you are in need of some structural support and protection against infection. Dental inlays and onlays can do just that.

Different types of restorative procedures:

  • Fillings

    – A filling is typically used to fill the space left behind from a mild cavity.

  • Crowns

    – Crowns are used to essentially seal your tooth in against infection. They cover the entire tooth. Crowns are typically used in cases of extreme damage.

  • Inlays

    – Inlays fill a larger portion of the tooth and can be used for cracks and more serious cavities. They fill a portion of the tooth and fill up to the cusp (the ridges) of your tooth.

  • Onlays

    – Onlays are more extensive in their coverage than inlays and fillings, but less extensive than crowns. They leave much of your natural tooth uncovered, but can fill a missing space from a large cavity or crack, and cover up the top of the cusp of your tooth.

With inlays and onlays in place after damage of any kind takes place, your tooth may be able to endure up to 75% more pressure than without inlays or onlays. They can be made with resin to match the natural color of your tooth, so they do not distract from your beautiful smile while, at the same time, restoring the strength of a damaged tooth.

If you have any more questions about restorative dental services, feel free to give us a call or stop by the office today!

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