Fillings, inlays, and onlays are treatment choices for a tooth that is decaying or injured. Though dental fillings are very effective, they may not always be the best option; porcelain inlays and onlays near you can be a great alternative.
This article will walk you through what this treatment encompasses and how this treatment helps patients. If you want further information, please contact our local dental practice.
What are Inlays and Onlays?
Tooth-coloured inlays can be bonded to the teeth to replace broken or ugly “fillings.” This bonding process could strengthen the tooth and help secure the inlay to the tooth. Similar to inlays, porcelain onlays extend onto the chewing surface of a back tooth to repair one or more cusps. This bonding process could strengthen the tooth and help the onlays adhere to the tooth.
Why is This Treatment Performed?
Your dental professional may recommend getting inlays or onlays for a few reasons, two primary ones being:
- A root canal or dental crown may not be necessary to fix a chipped or cracked tooth that cannot be fixed with a dental filling.
- When oral bacteria create acid to corrode the teeth, tooth decay results. To protect the tooth’s functionality, our dentist in St. Albert may choose to apply a dental inlay or onlay if the decay is mild to severe.
Who Can Perform This Treatment?
Dental inlay and onlay operations can be carried out by:
- General dentists who prevent, identify, and treat diseases of the mouth, teeth, gums, and related jaw structures.
- Pediatric dentists are experts in providing for children’s dental requirements.
- Specialists in prosthodontics who use crowns, bridges, and other dental implants to repair broken teeth.
How Do Prosthodontists Conduct the Treatment?
A specialist in restorative dentistry will carry out the dental inlay or onlay operation in a dental office or clinic. The process can vary depending on the type of tooth and any necessary inlays or porcelain inlays, but it typically entails the following procedures.
1. A transparent shield will protect your eyes as you recline in our dentist’s chair. The shield’s purpose is to protect your eyes from sprayed substances and any potential dental equipment.
2. Your gums will receive an injection of a local anesthetic to minimize any discomfort throughout the treatment.
3. Our dentist will remove the damaged area of your tooth using a drill. In order to make sure that the tooth will adhere to the inlay or onlay materials, some areas of the tooth will also be filed down.
4. The appliances will be made using an imprint of your tooth to ensure proper fit.
5. Some dentists have the tools necessary to create these restorations right in the dental office, and in those circumstances, our dentist might prepare and place them all at once. Some people deliver imprints to the dental facility that fabricates these restorations. In such circumstances, you will be given a temporary placement on your teeth until the dental laboratory returns the permanent one.
6. In a few weeks, you will return to our dentist’s clinic, where the doctor will remove the temporary restorations and replace them with permanent ones using sturdy cement. In order to provide you with a comfortable bite and prevent the restorations from scraping your mouth or tongue, the inlay or onlay will also be polished.
Looking to Set Up an Appointment?
As long as you continue to brush and floss frequently and go to our dentist for regular exams, taking care of the restorations in your mouth won’t be tough. They are a fantastic investment for restorative dentistry since, with careful maintenance, they can endure for 10 to 30 years.
Call Dentus Family Dental to get started! Our staff is excited to meet with you.