Tooth-colored fillings are a valuable dental procedure used to restore a tooth that has been damaged, either by decay or physical injury. Onlays and inlays are two types of deep fillings that protect natural teeth from further damage and prevent the need for extraction. Placed by a highly skilled cosmetic dentist, they can help increase tooth strength as much as 75%!
At my Boulder, Colorado dental office, all of our onlays and inlays are handcrafted from a safe ceramic, or glass-type material, in our dental laboratory. Unlike metal fillings, they will not expand and contract due to temperature changes so there’s no risk of internal cracking.
A dental inlay is recommended when a tooth’s decay or damage is confined to its indented top surface. A dental onlay is used when the damaged area encompasses one or more of the tooth cusps. Here’s a brief description of how they are placed.
- We take an impression of the decayed or damaged tooth.
- A temporary onlay or inlay is placed in position.
- Your impression is sent to our state-of-the-art lab.
- The onlay or inlay is created from ceramic material to match your exact specifications.
- You return to our office for the placement of your permanent restoration.
Onlays and inlays require less tooth reduction than ceramic crowns, but more than regular fillings. My team and I often use them to restore a tooth that has carried a metal filling for too many years and is now in a weakened state because of it. (See our blog on When to Replace Old Fillings.)
If you have tooth issues that are minor or purely cosmetic in nature, you may want to consider dental bonding or porcelain veneers as an alternative to fillings.
If you’d like to learn about the benefits of dental onlays and inlays, please schedule an appointment with our experienced cosmetic dentistry team.
Dr. Ania
Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dentistry
