An Overview of Inlays and Onlays in Dentistry
Wouldn’t you think about dental fillings when your dentist informs you that you have a cavity in your teeth? Would you ever believe alternatives are available to fill holes or protect teeth damaged by tooth decay? Dentists don’t just provide fillings and crowns for cavities or damaged teeth. Choices like inlays and Onlays are also available, although you might not hear about them quite often.
Fillings usually help restore minor damages in teeth, and crowns are helpful when you have deep decay or a more significant fracture that needs covering up. However, how do you deal with situations when fillings are insufficient to restore the tooth, and a crown is too much to protect the decayed tooth? It is where inlays and Onlays near you prove helpful, and many dentists recommend them if they need something suitable to restore your tooth. Inlays and Onlays are more substantial than fillings but not intrusive as crowns which require extensive restructuring of the tooth that needs protection.
The Difference between Inlays and Onlays Explained
Typically inlays help fill cavities and hollows in a tooth in areas between the cusps. Onlays help not just to fill the recesses in the hole but also work on a more significant site, including the cusps. Onlays are similar to crowns but do not encase the entire tooth. The materials help make inlays and Onlays are identical, and both serve similar functions. However, they cover different areas of the tooth to protect when tooth decay affects it correctly.
What Are Inlays and Onlays in Dentistry?
If you have a damaged tooth due to decay or injury, an inlay is created and fitted into the chewing surfaces of the tooth. The creation of inlays happens after an imprint of the affected area is dispatched to a dental laboratory to manufacture an indirect filling. Inlays fit perfectly into the cavity of the tooth without affecting the cusps. When the dental office near you impressions your teeth, they also consider the color of your tooth as best possible to ensure the inlay remains unnoticeable in your mouth. Porcelain or composite material more robust and more durable than traditional fillings helped make dental inlays. However, the materials make inlays more expensive without affecting their durability. The Detroit dentist prefers inlays when fillings will not correctly strengthen the surrounding tooth, and the cavity needs more robust materials to fortify it.
If you have decay and damage the cusps of your tooth besides the biting surface, the Detroit dentist recommends an onlay because the cavity is too significant to fill with standard silver amalgam fillings, or the tooth could crack because of weakness. Onlays shore up the tooth’s strength besides protecting the decaying area. Unlike dental inlays, an onlay can cover the cusps along with the spacing between.
How Do You Prepare for Inlays and Onlays?
The preparation for inlays and Onlays is similar to comparing for dental fillings. You receive local anesthesia in your mouth before the dentist drills the tooth for decay removal and cleans up the hollow space. You receive a temporary inlay over the cavity while the tooth’s impression is sent to the dental laboratory for your permanent restoration. You can have it placed in your tooth after the dental lab customizes it by revisiting the dental offices near you.
If you require a dental onlay, the dentist preserves your tooth structure, unlike dental crowns, where extensive removal of the cusps becomes essential. Porcelain and composite help make dental Onlays, also called partial crowns, because they function similarly but only cover a portion of the tooth instead of encasing it.
What Is the Lifespan of Inlays and Onlays?
The primary benefit of inlays and Onlays in Detroit is their durability and long-lasting feature. Inlays can last between five years to three decades, although dental professionals will not guarantee their lifespan because of various factors. When not cared for appropriately, these restorations can wear and tear and get damaged to fail sooner than expected.
Your dental hygiene plays a significant role after you have inlays or Onlays on your teeth. So long as you maintain proper oral hygiene, brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least once, and follow any recommendations of your dentist, you can expect the restorations to last for their lifespan. If you are affected by bruxism, discuss the issue with the dentist to have a protective measure to safeguard your inlays or Onlays.
If you need suitable restorations for a damaged tooth, please do not assume fillings are the only remedy because alternatives are available to restore your tooth. Please visit My Detroit Dentist for solutions like inlays and Onlays that function better than dental fillings.