Many people will need restorative dentistry in Oshawa at some stage, often to repair a decayed tooth. One option is to have an inlay or onlay instead of an ordinary filling.
These restorations are broadly similar but have some differences. Both are used to repair a large back tooth, and the main difference between them is the size.
When Is an Inlay or Onlay Needed?
The chewing surfaces of your back teeth are more vulnerable to tooth decay. This is because they have lots of intricate grooves and fissures that can trap food and plaque. Some of these grooves are quite deep and tricky to clean with a toothbrush.
If you have only a small cavity in a back tooth, then an ordinary filling may be enough to restore it. An ordinary filling can be made from tooth coloured composite resin that is reasonably strong and long-lasting.
Sometimes a cavity in a large back tooth can be quite substantial, in which case an ordinary filling would not be strong enough. A composite resin filling would not be able to withstand the substantial pressures of chewing food.
In this case, we may suggest an inlay or onlay that is much stronger and more durable.
What Is an Inlay?
An inlay is used to repair the chewing surface of a back tooth. It is suitable for filling medium to larger cavities that do not affect the tooth cusps. The cusps of the tooth are the points on the outer and inner edges.
What Is an Onlay?
An onlay is larger than an inlay. Instead of just repairing the chewing surface, it can also restore one or more tooth cusps. It provides greater coverage than an inlay but offers less extensive coverage than a full dental crown.
What Are Inlays and Onlays Made from?
The materials used to make an inlay or onlay in Whitby are strong and long-lasting. They can be made from a gold alloy that is polished to a high sheen. Gold is a good option because it is gentle on the opposing teeth and will not wear down tooth enamel.
However, many are made from a strong ceramic material. The main advantage of choosing ceramic is that your inlay or onlay will be beautiful and virtually invisible. Margolian Dentistry can create this restoration using a shade of ceramic that blends in with your natural tooth colour.
How Is an Inlay or Onlay Made?
The process for making and fitting an inlay or onlay differs slightly from that of an ordinary composite resin filling in Ajax. This is because these restorations are not made chairside, but instead are indirect, meaning they are made outside the mouth.
Initially, your tooth is prepared using a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Once prepared, we take a digital dental impression.
Digital dental impressions are great because they are far more accurate than traditional tray impressions. They are faster to take and far less invasive. Instead of wearing a messy tray, we scan your teeth with a small handheld scanner.
The result is an accurate dental impression that is used to create your new inlay or onlay. Gold inlays must be made in our dental lab. We may also create a ceramic inlay in a dental lab. In this case, you would need a temporary restoration while your permanent inlay or onlay is made.
However, it might be possible to mill your new ceramic inlay or onlay using our on-site milling machine.
With this option, our dentist would design your new inlay or onlay using your digital dental impression. The design is sent to our on-site milling machine, where we select a suitable shade of ceramic so the restoration can be milled while you wait.
