Porcelain Inlays and Onlays
Dental inlays and onlays are restorations used to repair rear teeth that have a mild to moderate amount of decay. They can also be used to restore teeth that are cracked or fractured if the damage is not severe enough to require a dental crown. Inlays and onlays are most commonly made from porcelain, composite resin, and sometimes even from gold. Because they can be created from tooth-colored materials, inlays and onlays are often used to replace metal fillings for patients who desire a more natural looking smile.
What is the difference between an Inlay and an Onlay?
Dental inlays are used to treat teeth that have decay or damage lying within their indented top surfaces. Onlays are used to treat decay that extends to one or more of the cusps.
Benefits of Inlays and Onlays
Since dental inlays and onlays are made from durable, tooth-coloured porcelain, they offer much more enduring and natural-looking results than metal and white plastic fillings. In addition, their customised nature allows dentists to securely bond them to the tooth surface, adding structural integrity and preventing bacteria from entering and forming cavities.
Like dental inlays, onlays are also created from tooth-coloured material, which makes them virtually undetectable to the naked eye. Onlays also help to conserve more tooth structure because their use requires minimal removal of a tooth’s surface. Perhaps their most important benefit, however, is that, in saving damaged teeth, onlays help patients avoid the eventual need for more extensive and costly treatment with dental crowns, dental bridges, or dental implants.