How conservative dentistry with inlays and onlays makes a big impact on the health and beauty of your smile
Farhoumand Dentistry is pleased to offer the most advanced materials and techniques to rebuild portions of a damaged tooth or an entire irreparably damaged tooth. However, even with these advancements in dentistry, no prosthetic tooth is superior to a natural, healthy tooth. To support the utmost function, health, and a natural appearance, your dentist in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia, prioritizes the use of conservative treatments like dental inlays and onlays.
What are inlays?
Inlays are designed to fit inside the tooth in the grooved area between the cusps or points. They effectively restore the tooth because they combine advanced dental materials and techniques that bond the restoration to the natural structure.
How do onlays differ from inlays?
Similarly to the inlay, the onlay fits inside the grooves of the tooth. Unlike inlays, onlays also cover at least one cusp or tooth tip. Some patients with greater restoration needs may be better served by onlays rather than inlays. For this reason, onlays are sometimes called “partial crowns,” as they are a step down in terms of coverage and support from a full dental crown.
Why would you recommend an inlay or onlay?
These restorations are largely alternatives to the simple filling. For some of our patients, simply “filling in” a cavity or larger area of decay would be insufficient. The tooth might still be vulnerable to further damage. So, fillings are typically most appropriate for patients with teeth that have smaller cavities. For individuals with bigger cavities or larger areas of damage, inlays and onlays are a conservative alternative to the full crown, which fits on top of the remaining reshaped tooth structure. Full crowns are simply not necessary when the areas of damage are less extensive. These options are also well-suited for patients with worn or old cavities that need repair to restore the strength of the tooth and prevent further damage.
How do you place inlays/onlays?
Farhoumand Dentistry not only practices advanced dentistry techniques; we have also invested in sophisticated computer-aided technologies. Due to our use of the CEREC system, we can make your inlay, onlay, and other restorations (like crowns) onsite. That means we can repair your decayed or compromised tooth in just one visit. After special software is used to create a three-dimensional model of your mouth, we can design the new inlay or onlay and transfer that design to our in-house milling machine. The milling machine then fabricates the restoration from a lovely, tissue-compatible, and strong metal-free material. Once the restoration is ready, we simply apply and secure it to the tooth that has been “prepared” (by removing any diseased tissue).
We have made it just that easy to bring out and sustain the very best in your smile. Call our Tyson’s Corner, VA office today at (703) 636-2442 to learn more about this and other services.
