Treatments
Inlays & Onlays
Inlays and onlays are an excellent way to help solve a problem caused by moderate decay or the following:
- Any level of decay on a portion of any tooth
- Need for a long-term, durable restoration
- Desire to limit the amount of healthy tooth structure removed
- Need to strengthen and reinforce a tooth
Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highly accurate impression is made of the prepared surface. This impression is used to create a model of the tooth that is then sent to our laboratory to create a porcelain (tooth coloured) restoration called an inlay or onlay. The inlay or onlay is then cemented into the prepared surface of the tooth.
An inlay covers only one to three surfaces of the tooth and is used to restore a small amount of tooth. An onlay actually covers one or more cusps (the chewing surface of the tooth).
Porcelain offers a fine alternative to other tooth restoration materials. Made to perfectly match the shade and shape of your teeth, it’s durable, strong, and virtually undetectable.
In addition, inlays and onlays fit almost perfectly into the prepared surface of the tooth, reducing the size of the seam between the restoration and the tooth.