How to Repair Damaged Teeth Using Inlays and Onlays?

How to Repair Damaged Teeth Using Inlays and Onlays?

Jun 01, 2022

Your teeth can easily crack or chip for reasons like sports accidents, bruxism, and weakened enamel. When you damage your tooth, you expose its internal structure to plaque and bacterial infection. Eventually, this leads to tooth decay, oral infections, loose teeth, and tooth loss. It can cause the need for expensive and complex dental procedures like dental crowns, dental implants, root canal therapy, and bone grafts.

The sooner you get treatment, the easier your condition will be to treat. Our dentist in Lexington, MA, will inspect your teeth damage and create a treatment plan to restore your dental health. The dentist can recommend getting an inlay or onlay procedure.

What are Dental Inlays and Onlays?

Inlays and onlays are indirect restorations designed to repair teeth damage. A dental inlay is an alternative to a dental filling. Like a filling, an inlay is placed inside a tooth to fill holes from cavities or old fillings.

On the other hand, a dental onlay repairs the cusps of a damaged tooth. It attaches to the outside of the tooth to repair cracks and chips. Inlays and onlays can be gold, porcelain, and composite materials.

While they work differently, they serve the same purpose of repairing damage and restoring the tooth’s strength and esthetics. Your dentist will inspect your tooth to determine whether an inlay or onlay is an appropriate treatment for you.

Dental Inlays and Onlays Procedure

If you’re considering or have been scheduled for a dental inlay or onlay procedure, you might wonder what to expect. Getting a dental inlay or onlay is straightforward, easy, and virtually painless. You can finish the procedure in two appointments. The treatment typically involves:

  • Initial appointment

Your dentist will begin by examining your tooth to establish your candidacy for the procedure. Generally, a tooth that needs an inlay or onlay has to be stable enough but still too weak to repair with a filling. Repairing such a tooth with dental filling would require a large filling, potentially weakening the tooth’s structure and leading to further complications.

In cases where the tooth damage is too significant to repair with an inlay or onlay, your dentist might recommend getting a dental crown. Unlike an inlay or onlay, a dental crown is placed over a damaged tooth, covering its entire structure and restoring its size, shape, strength, and appearance.

  • Preparing the tooth

The dentist will first numb the area to keep you calm and pain-free during the procedure. The dentist will remove any existing dental work like fillings.

Next, impressions of your tooth and other records are taken and sent to a dental lab, where they make the customized inlay or onlay. In the meantime, the dentist will use a temporary inlay or onlay to protect your tooth until the permanent restoration is ready.

  • Application procedure

When the customized inlay or onlay is ready, you’ll go in for the fitting procedure. The dentist will remove the temporary inlay or onlay and test the new one. If all is as expected, the dentist bonds the inlay or onlay to the tooth. This procedure takes about one hour.

  • Aftercare

In general, inlays and onlays are made from strong and durable materials like porcelain and gold. They don’t require any special care. You care for them like your natural teeth. A few care tips to keep in mind include:

  • Brush and floss daily.
  • Avoid abrasive toothbrushes and oral products.
  • Avoid chewing hard items like ice, nails, and pens.
  • Wear a nightguard if you grind or clench your teeth at night.
  • Wear a sports mouthguard for aggressive physical activities.
  • Schedule regular dental assessments and cleanings.
  • Eat healthier and hydrate well.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Are you interested in dental inlays and onlays in Lexington, MA? Contact Lexington Dental Group to book your appointment today.

Call Now Schedule Now
Click to listen highlighted text!