Inlays and Onlays
Restore your natural smile
A conservative and effective approach to restoring decayed or damaged teeth.
Inlays and Onlays
Restore your natural smile
At Healthy Smile Dental, we get how much your oral health matters to you! It impacts your overall well-being and a multitude of everyday experiences, including eating, speaking and smiling. We find genuine satisfaction in improving your oral health while conserving as much of your natural tooth as possible. Happily, our gentle or ‘conservative’ approach to dentistry minimises cutting and drilling, giving you a comfortable treatment experience which keeps your tooth as intact as possible while restoring areas of damage or decay.
Our dental inlays and onlays are finely targeted restorations that repair the damaged parts of your teeth while avoiding the collateral damage to healthy tooth material that often comes with more traditional restorations. Taking crowns and fillings as equivalent traditional treatments, inlays and onlays deliver many of the same benefits, yet they do so without significantly cutting into the tooth. These treatments can be an excellent choice for restoring decayed or damaged teeth, providing a balanced minimally invasive alternative to traditional fillings and full crowns.
What are dental inlays and onlays?
Inlays and onlays are types of dental restorations that are custom-made to fit the specific contours of your tooth. They are used to repair teeth that have suffered damage or decay that is too extensive for a filling but not severe enough to require a crown.
Both types can be made from materials such as porcelain, composite resin, or gold, chosen for their durability and ability to match your natural tooth colour.
When are inlays and onlays recommended?
Inlays and onlays are suitable for various dental issues, including:
For larger cavities: When a cavity is too big for a regular filling but doesn’t warrant a full crown, inlays and onlays provide the necessary strength and coverage to restore the tooth.
For cracked or fractured teeth: If your tooth has significant cracks or fractures but the root is healthy, inlays or onlays can effectively repair the damage and prevent further breakage.
To replace old fillings: If you have old fillings that are worn out, leaking, or causing cosmetic concerns, inlays and onlays offer a long-lasting and more aesthetically pleasing replacement.
For decay prevention: In some cases, inlays or onlays can be used to reinforce weakened areas of a tooth, protecting it from future decay and fractures.
Essentially, inlays and onlays bridge the gap between fillings and crowns, offering a stronger and more natural-looking solution for moderate tooth damage.
What to expect
If inlays or onlays are right for you, then your treatment usually involves two visits to our dental office:
First visit:
Examination and preparation: Your dentist will examine the affected tooth and remove any decay or old fillings. The tooth is then cleaned and prepared for your inlay or onlay.
Digital impression: Using a high-precision intraoral scanner, we take a digital impression of the tooth to create a finely detailed 3D model. This 3D model is sent to a dental lab where your custom inlay or onlay will be created.
Temporary restoration: A temporary filling is placed to protect your tooth while the permanent restoration is being created. This keeps your tooth in good condition until your next visit.
Second visit:
Placement: Once your inlay or onlay is ready, your dentist will remove the temporary filling and place the new restoration. A perfect fit is non-negotiable, so we make any adjustments that may be necessary to ensure everything lines up just right.
Bonding: When the placement adjustment is perfected, the inlay or onlay is bonded to your tooth with a strong adhesive, and the area is polished for a smooth finish.
Benefits of inlays and onlays
Long-lasting strength:
Inlays and onlays are built to endure. Unlike traditional fillings, which can wear down over time, inlays and onlays are crafted from high-strength materials like porcelain or resin. This translates to a restoration that lasts for many years with proper care.
Natural beauty:
A beautiful smile is important, and inlays and onlays are designed to blend seamlessly with your existing teeth. They are custom-made to match the exact colour and shade, resulting in a natural-looking restoration that appears practically invisible.
Preserving your tooth structure:
In contrast to crowns, which can only be installed by removing a substantial portion of the tooth, inlays and onlays prioritise saving as much of your natural tooth structure as possible. This is crucial for maintaining the tooth’s overall strength and health.
Improved chewing function:
Inlays and onlays are finely designed to precisely restore the damaged chewing surface of your tooth. This improves your bite and strengthens the tooth’s ability to handle the pressure of chewing, allowing you to enjoy your food comfortably.
Bespoke inlays and onlays
Healthy Smile Dental’s experienced team uses the latest technology with premium-quality materials to create inlays and onlays that look and feel natural. We’re dedicated to providing personalised, less invasive care that gives you exceptional comfort and confidence as we restore your oral health.
Collaborate with Healthy Smile Dental today
Our core mission at Healthy Smile Dental is to maximise your oral health today and far into the future. We do this by modifying only part of your tooth that needs fixing, while keeping the remainder as complete as possible. This gives you immediate relief, knowing health and function have been restored. It also offers long-term peace of mind, as your tooth will remain as intact as possible.
We look forward to helping you restore your smile with precision and care. If you have any questions or think you might benefit from an inlay or onlay, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you achieve and maintain a resilient smile which brings joy to yourself and those around you.
