When your teeth have been extensively damaged by injuries or tooth decay and you are not a candidate for conventional dental fillings or crowns, you should explore a more advanced restorative solution, like inlays and onlays. Although these advanced restorative options are made from gold, ceramic, or porcelain, they possess distinctive characteristics. They repair decayed and damaged teeth to restore functionality and enhance aesthetics.
At Calabasas Smiles Advanced Dentistry, inlay and onlay treatment is a realm of our dentistry services. If you seek the service, we will examine your teeth to determine your candidacy, and if you are eligible, explain what you should expect after the procedure.
Inlay and Onlay Definition
Dental inlays and onlays are indirect restorative treatments for dental caries and tooth damage stemming from injuries when the damage is too extensive for dental fillings but not severe enough for dental crowns. They are known as indirect restoratives because they are fabricated in the dental lab before permanent placement on the affected tooth. These restorations differ from direct dental fillings applied directly to the tooth and reshaped to repair decay or damage. The porcelain, gold, or ceramic pieces are placed on the cavity or damage to cover the teeth cusps, particularly the molars and premolars.
Our general dentists recommend these advanced restorative solutions because they bridge the gap between dental crowns and fillings. We recommend them if the tooth damage is too extensive to require a conventional dental filling for sufficient repairs, yet not severe enough to require dental crowns. Compared to dental crowns, the procedure adopts a conservative approach that helps preserve the natural tooth structure with minimal tooth drilling.
The fact that inlays and onlays are classified as intermediate restorative solutions has revolutionized the restorative dental industry because of their capacity to preserve natural tooth material as much as possible. After the treatment, the repaired teeth remain intrinsically strong, lowering the risk of future complications like decay, which could have resulted in expensive and highly invasive procedures like root canals.
A dental inlay procedure entails bonding gold, ceramic, or porcelain prosthetics in the center of damaged or decayed teeth to cover the grooves in the tooth’s biting surfaces. The prosthetic provides a standard biting force and restores the intrinsic tooth strength by filling the tooth’s internal contours for better chewing. If the caries are in the center of your tooth, the dentist will recommend inlays. Porcelain inlays are more advantageous because, apart from increasing the tooth’s sturdiness, they mimic the tooth enamel and do not discolor, enhancing the appearance of your teeth.
Inlays contrast with dental onlays, which are bonded on the entire tooth surface to cover a broader and larger surface of the tooth. The fabrication and bonding process of onlays and inlays is the same. The difference in these prosthetics lies in the size of the area they cover. Inlays fill the grooves on the biting surface, which is a small area, while onlays are used on the entire biting surface, filling at least one cusp, contingent on the severity of the decay or damage on the tooth in question. With the ample space of the teeth they cover, onlays are sometimes called partial dental crowns.
Material Choices for Dental Inlays and Onlays
Your choice of prosthetic material hinges on several factors, like the affected tooth’s location, your esthetic needs and preferences, and the biting forces you encounter. The primary material choices for the treatment are:
Gold
Gold has been the most widely used material choice for inlays and onlays because of its durability, biocompatibility, and resistance to wear and tear. However, the material’s popularity has significantly reduced after introducing materials that resemble the natural tooth color, improving appearance, mainly when repairing the front teeth. Gold has a color that is distinct and does not blend with that of the natural tooth, making it a less attractive option for some patients. Besides, it is expensive, limiting the number of dental patients using the material.
Porcelain and Ceramic Material
Ceramic and porcelain inlays and onlays are popular because they mimic the color of the natural teeth, gaining popularity among those dental patients more focused on repairing decayed or damaged teeth to restore aesthetics. These materials have natural translucency, making them suitable for repairing visible teeth, as you cannot distinguish the natural teeth from those with prosthetics.
Apart from having superior aesthetic properties, these materials are popular because of their high durability and strength. With inlays or onlays made of ceramic and porcelain, you can be guaranteed that your restoration will be highly resistant to chipping and cracking and highly durable.
Composite Resin
Another option for inlay and onlay material is resin composite. It resembles the natural tooth color, giving you a superior appearance and shade that can be tailored to meet your preferences. Compared to porcelain and gold, composite is affordable. Besides, a composite can be used for direct or indirect restoration. Composite is more affordable and offers decent aesthetics but is less durable than ceramic under heavy chewing pressure. Choosing the right material can be highly complex with multiple options available. Each material has pros and cons across appearances, costs, and functionality. For example, porcelain offers superior aesthetics and longevity but is expensive. Composite resin, on the other hand, is affordable, but it is less resistant to biting force and less aesthetically appealing. Gold is highly durable and strong, but does not blend with the tooth’s natural color. There is no single material that does not have its strengths and weaknesses. So, your choice must be personalized and based on unique oral needs. You should consider the position of the teeth, the chewing force the prosthetic will endure, your aesthetic priorities, and your budget. Choosing the material for the restorative solution alone is challenging, emphasizing the need to consult a general dentist before undergoing the treatment. Our dental experts will thoroughly examine your teeth, explain the benefits and downsides of each available material choice, and give their professional opinion to help you pick the material that suits your oral needs and preferences. We will examine all aspects of these materials to enable you to select the option to restore your tooth functionality and superior appearance within your budget.
Expectations When Receiving the Prosthetics
The key steps involved in an inlay and onlay procedure include:
- Initial Consultation and Thorough Examination
Dental concerns like caries and extensive damage due to trauma can adversely affect your teeth’s functionality and aesthetics. The decay causes halitosis, making it difficult to socialize. Additionally, if the decay spreads, you risk developing gum disease. Therefore, when you observe tooth damage or decay symptoms, you should consult a general dentistry service near you immediately.
Our dental experts will physically examine your teeth and gingival tissue to identify abnormalities in your mouth. We complement the visual exam with X-rays and digital scans to determine the extent of the caries or damage accurately.
Once we determine the extent of the decay, we will explain the available restorative options, including inlays and onlays. The initial consultation aims to identify the oral issue, find the appropriate treatment, and develop a tailored plan to address your unique oral problem.
- Tooth Cleaning and Preparation
After exploring the available options and deciding that onlays and inlays are perfect to address the tooth damage or caries, your dental expert will prepare the affected tooth. Prepping entails removing the decayed or damaged tooth tissue using a special drill. If you had undergone a dental filling in the past, the dentist will remove the filling material to extract the damaged structure. This step can be painful, so our dental providers will administer anesthesia to keep you comfortable.
After removing the material, the hollow in the tooth is reshaped and contoured to bond or attach the prosthetic material properly.
- Tooth Impression
The next phase involves taking an impression of the prepped tooth. The mold can be made using a conventional putty material or advanced dental technology like CAM/CAD scans. The impression is then sent to a dental lab to fabricate the permanent inlays and onlays. When using ceramic material, select your preferred contour or shade at this stage to ensure it matches your natural teeth.
- Bonding of Temporary Restorations
You will require a maximum of two appointments to complete your restorative procedure. The number of visits depends on whether your dental provider adopts advanced technology and can fabricate the final restorations in-house or will rely on an off-site dental lab. If your clinic relies on an outside laboratory, you will require temporary restoration as you await the permanent one. Once the temporary restorations are bonded, you can go home as you await the permanent ones.
The challenge with the temporary appliances is that they can dislodge in the mouth. The movement of the prosthetic can cause irritation or sensitivity.
- Single Visit Placement
We adopt CAM/CAD technology to enable us to streamline your inlay and onlay experience. Equipment like CEREC systems enables same-day fabrication in our dental offices, eliminating the need for temporary indirect restorations or single-visit procedures. Therefore, if you want convenience, choose a dental provider using new technology to design and fabricate your appliances.
General dentistry services that integrate modern technology into their services indicate streamlined processes, reduce the risk of sensitivity, and ensure comfort and convenience in the procedure. If you opt for a facility like this, the chances of meeting your expectations before the procedure are high.
- Placement of the Final Restoration
You will not require a second appointment if your final restoration is ready on the same day. However, if you are undergoing the traditional procedure involving two visits, you will come in for a second appointment. In this meeting, the dentist will apply local anesthesia to reduce discomfort when removing the temporary prosthetics to create space for the permanent ones. The next step is cleaning the tooth surfaces to prepare them for permanent restoration.
Once the tooth is ready, the dentist will cement the permanent restoration on the tooth and adjust it for a perfect fit and comfortable bite. The dentist then removes the excess cement and polishes the surfaces to achieve an appearance and feel resembling healthy, natural teeth.
Common Complications
Inlays and onlays, like other dental procedures, have risks of complications. The common complications that can happen during or after the procedure are:
- Allergic reaction to anesthesia
- The composite resin inlay could shrink, further damaging the teeth
- You can sustain soft tissue and nerve injury during the drilling of the decayed part or the removal of the temporary restoration
- Loss of the restoration could expose you to further decay
Aftercare and Maintenance
After the procedure, it is common to experience sensitivity in the gums for one or two days. If the sensitivity persists, you can use over-the-counter painkillers. If you suffer from sensitivity, you can reduce the symptoms by removing hot and cold substances. Besides, you must avoid sticky and crunchy substances, which could damage the restoration. When you suffer bite problems, the restorations do not fit properly, and it is time for a follow-up visit with your general dentist. Before leaving the dental clinic, your dentist will share instructions on how to care for the restorations.
You must practice excellent dental hygiene, as inlays can spread to the gaps between the chewing surfaces of teeth. These surfaces are challenging to clean, and when food particles are trapped here, they could harden into plaque and tartar, leading to further decay. You can prevent further decay by limiting your sugar intake, regularly brushing and flossing, and scheduling regular appointments with the dental provider for regular dental cleaning to remove tartar and identify oral issues early for treatment before they advance. Biannual dental visits also enable the dental expert to monitor the restorations for leakages or damage to prevent decay recurrence.
Inlay and Onlay Benefits
Inlays and onlays provide several benefits if you have teeth with extensive damage or decay. The treatment is considered a restorative solution because the problem has already developed. So, if you cannot prevent the decay, you should take early action by seeking treatment to restore the tooth’s functionality and appearance. When compared to direct restorations like crowns and dental fillings, the indirect restorative solutions offer multiple advantages, including:
Natural Tooth Structure Conservation
Inlays and onlays are more conservative, as they involve the removal of the decayed or damaged tooth section only, preserving the healthy section of the tooth. The reshaping and drilling done during this restorative procedure are less invasive than the traditional crowns, which involve extensive reshaping of healthy tooth structure to accommodate the crown. Therefore, if you wish to maintain the structural integrity of your natural teeth, you should go for these indirect restorations.
Enhances Tooth Strength and Longevity
Materials commonly used in inlays and onlays, like ceramic, porcelain, and gold, are resilient and strong, making these restorations sturdy and durable. Traditional fillings, made using resin composite or amalgam, are less intense and susceptible to cracking and chipping. So, when you go for these indirect restorations, you will strengthen your teeth to withstand the chewing and biting force. The restorations can last up to thirty years with proper care and maintenance.
Offer a Natural and Superiorly Appealing Look
Another advantage of these indirect restoration solutions is that they effortlessly blend with the color of natural teeth, giving the repaired tooth a natural appearance. Porcelain, ceramic, and composite inlays and onlays mimic the color, translucency, and appearance of natural teeth, providing superior aesthetic results. Therefore, when decay or extensive damage affects your smile and confidence, you can improve it through intermediate and advanced restorative treatments.
Alleviate Chances of Decay Recurrence
Onlays and inlays are precise, tailor-made, and firmly cemented on the damaged tooth to ensure they fit correctly. No gaps or tears exist that could allow toxic and acidic bacteria to contact the enamel, causing the decay to recur. The sturdy and secure bonding is why these advanced restorations are highly durable.
Convenience Due to the Use of Modern Technology
The use of CAM/CAD technology in the design and fabrication of the restorations enables a single-visit procedure, creating convenience for many patients by reducing the waiting time for permanent restorations. Many people avoid restorative treatment like crowns because of the many dental visits required and the waiting time for the final restoration. However, with advanced technology, your dental expert can take an impression, design, and fabricate permanent restorations on the same day. If you do not want to wreak havoc on your routines through frequent dental visits for the same procedure, select a general dentist who uses CAD technology to enjoy convenience.
Easy Care
The way you care for and maintain your restorations determines their longevity. The advantage of inlays and onlays is that they are bonded to the natural teeth; hence, you can care for them like you do with the natural teeth. Practicing good dental hygiene and regular dental visits to check for tears or loosening ensures that the treatment is durable.
Find a Reputable Advanced General Dentistry Service Near Me
Prevention is the best way to deal with dental concerns. However, you require a restorative solution when the problem has already developed. Therefore, if you have developed dental caries or decay due to poor oral hygiene or your teeth have been damaged due to trauma to the mouth, you can fix the problem early using a dental inlay or onlay. However, before undergoing the treatment, you should consult a dentist for a thorough evaluation to determine the appropriate restorative solution.
At Calabasas Smiles Advanced Dentistry, we recommend these indirect restorations because they preserve the natural teeth and prevent further decay or damage. If you are considering the treatment, call us at 818-878-7300 for a no-obligation consultation.
