A broken tooth or decayed tooth should be restored to protect it from future damage. There are a number of options in restorative dentistry to reshape a damaged/decayed tooth. The choice basically depends on the extent of damage caused to the tooth. Dental inlays and onlays have been widely used to restore teeth that have decayed grooves or a damaged/destroyed cusp. The inlays and onlays can wonderfully fit over the tooth. These restorations avoid the need for extensive teeth preparation, which is the case with dental crowns. This preserves more of natural teeth. Are you suffering from tooth decay or do you have a damaged tooth? Make an appointment with our dentist to get the tooth restored at the earliest. Our restorative care can improve your oral health and prevent dental infection. Thanks to our dental inlays and onlays we have been able to create healthy smiles for many patients in Colton, CA.

Dental inlays and onlays and tooth decay

Tooth decay usually starts at the pit of the tooth and extends to the biting surface. The grooves and the cusps may get destroyed in the process, affecting the person’s ability to bite and chew food. To avoid further damage, the tooth has to be restored using appropriate materials.

Dental inlays and onlays are porcelain restorations that are designed to take the load and fit accurately over the tooth. They finally fuse with the tooth and aid with biting and chewing functions. An inlay is a small restoration that can restore a damaged groove. A Dental onlay is fabricated to restore a cusp of the biting surface.

Dental inlays and onlays treatment

Your initial visit to our dental office will involve examination and removal of decayed part of the tooth. Our dentist suggests a restoration based on the extent of the damage. Once the decayed part of the tooth is removed, our dentist prepares the tooth in such a way that an inlay or an onlay can fit in place. Impressions of the tooth are taken to prepare a temporary inlay in our office. The temporary is made of acrylic. The permanent inlay/onlay gets prepared in the lab based on the impressions provided from our office. Our dentist cements the temporaries in place and leaves it until the permanent ones are prepared in the lab. During the next dental visit, the temporary inlay or onlay is removed and the area is cleaned. The dentist checks the fit and finish of the permanent onlay/inlay before cementing it over the prepared tooth.