Beautiful smiling girl in white t shirt after getting dental inlay and onlay treatment in Whitby, ON.

All You Need to Know about Dental Inlay and Onlay Treatment and Procedure

December 1, 2022

If you have cavities in your teeth or severe damage, you might have heard about dental fillings and crowns to prevent further damage to your teeth. However, have you heard about dental inlays and Onlays alternative solutions that help restore teeth with minor or significant damage conservatively without needing intensive procedures?

Not many have heard about dental inlays and Onlays in Whitby, ON. They think dental fillings for minor cavities and crowns for significant tooth decay or damage are the only solutions available to restore teeth. However, when people hear about dental inlays and Onlays from the Whitby provider, they will undoubtedly want to consider alternatives that last longer and do not require significant tooth structure removal as it is familiar with dental crowns.

Would you like to know everything about dental inlays and Onlays and how they help restore your teeth? If so, we recommend reading this article for more information on these excellent restorative solutions.

Differences between Traditional Restorations and Inlays and Onlays

Generally, fillings help fill minor cavities in your tooth, and crowns are helpful if you have deep decay or large fractures that need covering up. However, what happens if you confront a situation where a filling is insufficient to restore your tooth or a dental crown is too significant to protect against decay or damage? You might think the problem with your tooth is possibly impossible to fix. However, dentists have an alternative for this unique situation because they suggest inlays and Onlays to help restore your tooth to its functionality.

Dental inlays are more substantial than fillings, while dental Onlays are not as intrusive as dental crowns when restoring teeth. Dentists call these restorations ‘just right’ for unique situations and offer them when needed by people.

Difference between Inlays and Onlays

Inlays help fill cavities and holes in the tooth areas between the cusps. Onlays, besides filling cavities, work on a more significant site, including the cusps. Onlays function similarly to crowns without encasing the entire tooth. Similar materials help make inlays, and Onlays serve the same purpose by covering different areas of the tooth to correctly protect it from tooth decay.

Inlays and Onlays are not restorations available from the inlay and onlay dentist but need fabrication from a dental laboratory after your teeth are prepared and impressions sent to them for creating your repairs. Therefore you might require multiple appointments with the provider to restore your teeth with these solutions.

Inlays fit into the holes in your tooth without affecting the cusps. The dentist in Whitby closely matches the colour of the restoration of your natural teeth, making them remain indistinguishable in your mouth. In addition, inlays created from porcelain or resin are more durable than traditional fillings and last longer than other fillers. Dentists select this option when fillings do not strengthen the surrounding tooth, or the cavity requires durable materials to fortify it.

On the other hand, Onlays help restore decay and damage to the cusps of the tooth and the biting surface. The Whitby dentist chooses Onlays when cavities are too large to fill with silver amalgam fillers, or the tooth remains prone to cracking due to weakness. Onlays shore up the tooth’s strength while protecting the decaying area. Unlike inlays, Onlays can cover the cavities and the cusps to provide protection similar to dental crowns.

When getting dental Onlays, sufficient tooth structure removal isn’t necessary. The procedure merely involves drilling the decay and cleaning the tooth before taking impressions for a dental laboratory to create your restoration. Onlays function similarly to crowns without encasing the entire tooth.

Are Dental Inlays and Onlays Durable?

Dental inlays and Onlays are incredibly durable, having a lifespan of 5 to 30 years, depending on your dental hygiene practices. However, they can fail faster if you don’t care for them appropriately. Your dental hygiene plays a significant role after you have these restorations in your teeth. You must incorporate practices like brushing twice daily, flossing once, and visiting your dentist for six monthly visits to check the stability of the restorations and ensure they are firmly in place.

Besides the above, you must care for the restorations by preventing wear and tear on them by seeking treatment for habits like bruxism and refraining from chewing hard foods that can affect the longevity of dental inlays and Onlays. While dentists do not guarantee how long the restorations will remain in your teeth, you can envision them lasting longer, pivoting on how you care for them and your overall dental health.

If you have severe cavities on your teeth that you think might benefit from dental inlays or Onlays, Brooklin Village Dental Care provides these restorations if needed. Therefore arranging a consultation with the practice will get you durable restorations for your teeth with these materials.

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