Dental Inlays and Onlays
Most people are familiar with tooth fillings and dental crowns and how they work, but what if your tooth is too damaged for a filling but not extensive enough for a crown? That’s when our dentists might recommend a dental inlay or onlay.
Inlays and Onlays
The purpose of inlays and onlays is to restore a tooth’s shape, function, and strength and protect it against further damage. These restorations provide more coverage than a simple filling but are less invasive than a dental crown.
What Is a Dental Inlay?
If you have a cavity, your dentist will remove the decay and place a filling to strengthen and protect the tooth. However, sometimes decay is too extensive for a filling but not significant enough to warrant placing a dental crown.
In this case, our dentists might recommend a dental inlay. An inlay replaces a portion of structure inside the tooth’s cusps, which are the raised points on a tooth. It is a custom-made restoration that we place on a tooth’s chewing surface, typically a molar or premolar.
Inlays are created as a single solid piece and are commonly called indirect fillings because they are custom-made by a dental lab. We then fit it on your tooth and securely bond it with dental cement.
Dental inlays are beneficial because they strengthen a decayed or weakened tooth to restore its shape, appearance, and function. They are more substantial than a filling, and we recommend them for larger cavities or damage that extends beyond the tooth’s surface. Inlays are more durable than fillings and can last up to 30 years with proper care.