At Exceptional Dentistry, we understand the importance of a healthy smile that also looks attractive. To make sure that every patient has the opportunity to achieve these goals, we continually strive to offer the most advanced cosmetic dentistry procedures and techniques, using the highest quality materials for a dramatic improvement to your smile and your self-esteem.
Inlays and onlays are just one of the treatment options available to patients seeking aesthetically pleasing tooth repair. For more information, please contact Exceptional Dentistry in Dubuque, Iowa, by calling 563-556-2711 today.
Understanding Onlays and Inlays
Porcelain inlays and onlays protect and restore your tooth when large portions of the tooth are damaged or decayed. Inlays correct areas of decay within the tooth cusps, whereas onlays are for larger areas of decay that extend to the outside surfaces. A tooth that is too damaged for an onlay will need a porcelain crown.
Porcelain inlays and onlays are very effective options for anyone interested in enhancing their smile. They are a durable type of tooth-colored filling designed to blend beautifully with your natural tooth color, for a metal-free, cavity-free smile. They differ from white fillings in that they are not done directly on the teeth.
Our dentists will prepare the tooth and send all necessary data to the dental laboratory, and the lab will custom-make your inlay or onlay. Then we will position it in the tooth and bond it permanently, making it a part of the tooth.
Why Use Porcelain?
Compared to old-fashioned metal fillings, porcelain is more natural-looking and more attractive. It strengthens the tooth because it is bonded to the tooth’s interior surface. Metal fillings are not bonded. They are tightly packed into the cavity to prevent the filling from falling out. Each time hot or cold foods are eaten, metal fillings expand and contract, putting additional pressure on the tooth and eventually fracturing it.
By being bonded to the tooth, porcelain inlays and onlays seal the connections between your tooth and the restoration, which prolongs the tooth’s life.
The Porcelain Filling Procedure
Your inlay or onlay can be placed in two comfortable visits to our beautiful, new dental office.
- First visit:
- Decay is removed from the tooth
- Photographs and an impression of the tooth are taken and sent to the dental laboratory
- A temporary white filling is placed
The laboratory creates your customized inlay or onlay using porcelain that Dr. Ted Murray, Dr. Kristen Berning, or Dr. Alexia Oetken has chosen as the best match for your natural teeth.
- Second visit:
- The inlay or onlay is position in your tooth, adjusted if necessary and bonded in place
Porcelain fillings restore the integrity and strength of your tooth, so your new filling and your new smile will last for many years with routine at-home oral care.
We place a high value on function, safety, and beauty and we recommend porcelain inlays and onlays to repair new cavities and to replace old metal fillings.
If you would you like to learn more about porcelain onlays and inlays, please call 563-556-2711 or email our office to schedule a personal consultation.