Dental Services Restorative Dentistry Inlays/Onlays

Have Broken Teeth?

Get Dental Inlays and Onlays in Coral Gables

Damage to one’s teeth due to decay can occur when the bacteria in your mouth creates acids that cause damage to the enamel. It can lead to cavities and cause infection, discomfort, pain, or even tooth loss. Porcelain inlays or onlays may be used to fix this damage, and having them installed is a straightforward and relatively painless process since the area of damage is numbed with a local anesthetic to reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort during the procedure.

What Are Inlays & Onlays?

Also referred to as also called 3/4 crowns, dental inlays and dental onlays are a form of dental fixture. Inlays can be used to restore broken teeth by replacing a small amount of the structure of the tooth that was lost due to decay. While both inlays and onlays fit inside of the tooth, onlays also extend onto the tooth’s chewing surface to replace one or more tooth cusps. Both were once made only of gold, they can now be made of tooth-colored porcelain or dental composite. They can be used to replace visually unappealing or defective dental fillings through a bonding process that can also make the tooth stronger.

What Are the Benefits of Inlays & Onlays?

Along with the visual appeal, other benefits of dental inlays and onlays include:

They are useful when a cavity is too large to be repaired with a filling
Onlays can repair the damage that extends beyond the center of the tooth
They are intended to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible making it easier to clean your teeth
While certain types of fillings may shrink with time, dental inlays and onlays retain their size and are extremely stable and durable
They won’t take on stains, and with proper care, they can last up to 30 years