A decayed or badly chipped tooth affects the aesthetic appearance of your smile and confidence and could also negatively affect your general oral and dental health. If you have a decayed or chipped tooth, fillings, and dental crowns are not the only restorative options you can consider to restore your smile appearance and tooth strength.

Whether you have structural tooth damage or moderate decay, these tailor-made dental restorations can offer a cosmetically and practically viable solution that preserves your smile appearance and helps preserve your tooth. Imagine receiving a dental restoration that helps restore your tooth health and blends with your surrounding natural teeth, leaving you with a flawless smile.

Inlays and onlays are advanced restoration options that match your teeth' precise contour, shape, and color. If you have moderately damaged or decayed teeth, our dentists at Tayani Dental Group can help you restore their appearance and health using inlays and onlays wherever you are in Fullerton.

All About Inlays and Onlays

Different stages of tooth damage could require different types of restorations. A dentist can fix small chips and damages to your tooth using a filling, but larger fillings could require a dental crown to rebuild the affected tooth.

Dental inlays and onlays come in handy to cover the in-between damages of your tooth, where fillings and dental crowns are not a viable solution. Inlays and onlays help build the structure of the affected tooth or set of teeth to restore their functions and appearance using materials such as:

  • Porcelain.

  • Gold.

  • Ceramic.

  • Composite resin.

The material used is custom-made to fit your tooth's decayed or damaged area during your dental visit. Inlays are specifically designed to fit within the cusps or grooves of your damaged tooth, particularly on its biting or chewing surfaces. These restorations are ideal solutions for minor tooth damage or decay that do not affect the tooth's cusps (raised points of a tooth).

Conversely, onlays could be necessary if the damage or decay on your tooth covers more than one cusp of your tooth. In other words, onlays would be required if the tooth damage is too significant for an inlay restoration.

Once in place, inlays and onlays require the same level of attention as your natural teeth. That means you should brush and floss your teeth regularly. If properly and well-cared for, these dental restoration options can last up to thirty (30) days.

However, dental crowns could be an excellent treatment if the damage or decay on your tooth is too extensive. Since dental crowns could require the removal of a large part of your tooth structure, inlays, and onlays are much preferred by most patients who want to fix damages and imperfections on their teeth.

Whether you have a cavity or tooth chip caused by injury, biting hard foods, or teeth grinding, you should consider visiting a dentist to determine whether inlays and onlays could be an excellent solution.

Generally speaking, you could be an excellent candidate for inlays and onlays if there is enough of the damaged tooth to support these dental restorations. If the affected tooth is severely damaged or its pulp section is compromised, your dentist could recommend other treatment alternatives, such as:

  • Dental bridges.

  • Dental implants.

  • Root canal therapy.

  • Dental crowns.

Extraction of the tooth could be necessary if these treatments cannot help save the tooth. For example, if the tooth's pulp chamber is infected and its roots are too weak to hold it in place.

Dental Inlay and Onlay Placement Procedure

On your initial appointment with your dentist, he/she will begin the procedure by examining the extent of tooth or decay damage to determine whether you are an excellent candidate for the inlay and onlay treatment. Then, he/she will give you anesthesia injections around the affected area of the tooth to help lessen the discomfort during the treatment. After that, the following steps will follow:

  1. Removal of the Damaged Part of Your Tooth

To prepare your tooth for this treatment, your dentist must remove the damaged or decayed part of the tooth to create a solid and stable surface for inlays and onlays placement. Before creating custom inlays and onlays, the dentist will give you a temporary dental filling to wear and help protect the delicate tooth.

  1. Creation of Custom Inlay and Onlay for Your Teeth

After removing the damaged sections of your tooth, your dentist will take an impression of this tooth's structure and shape using putty and send it to the lab technician to create custom inlays and onlays for your teeth. The impression acts as a blueprint to help the dentist or lab technician create custom inlays and onlays that seamlessly fit your teeth.

The materials the laboratory technician will use to design and make your inlays will depend on your unique preferences.

  1. Placement and Fitting of the Dental Inlay and Onlay on Your Teeth

During this final stage of this treatment, the dentist will place and bond the dental restoration on your damaged tooth using a dental adhesive. Once your inlay or onlay is in place, the dentist will polish it to blend seamlessly with the surrounding natural teeth for the appealing and eye-catching smile you deserve.

While the inlay or onlay placement process could be uncomfortable, the joy and relief of fixing your damaged tooth are unmatched. Once these dental restorations are in place, they can strengthen your tooth, alleviate pain, and give you a celebrity-like smile.

Benefits of Dental Inlays and Onlays

Wearing inlays and onlays has several benefits you cannot overlook if you have a damaged or decayed tooth. Some of these benefits include:

Help Preserve Your Tooth Structure

Unlike crowns, which require the removal of a significant part of the tooth, inlays, and onlays preserve the structure of the natural teeth.

They are Strong and Durable

The materials used to make inlays and onlays are durable and long-lasting, meaning you can enjoy the full functions of your teeth for several years.

Helps Improve the Aesthetic Appearance of Your Smile

Tooth-colored dental restorations, such as porcelain and composite resin, can blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, giving you an eye-catching smile.

Helps Restore Your Tooth Functions

Since they are custom-made, your inlays or onlays will precisely fit on your teeth and restore their functions, particularly the ability to chew food properly.

Helps Conserve Your Tooth Structure

Since installing inlays and onlays requires minimal removal of the tooth's structure, it is a conservative dental restoration option you can consider if your tooth is damaged or decayed.

Common Applications of Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are helpful dental restorations that are ideal for various dental problems many people face daily. Below are some of the applications of dental inlays and onlays:

Repairing Tooth Cavities or Decay

A tooth decay occurs when acidic secretions from the mouth bacteria cause your tooth's enamel to erode. If you have tooth decay, you will likely notice a dark or white spot on the affected tooth. When left untreated, decay causes holes (cavities) on the surface of your tooth, making it sensitive to stimuli like cold or warm beverages.

If the decay is not too extensive to necessitate a dental crown, your dentist could recommend placing inlays or onlays to fix the issue.

Restoring a Damaged Tooth

While a chipped or fractured tooth is painless, it could affect the aesthetic appearance of your smile. When left untreated, a tooth fracture could also extend to the inner part of the tooth (pulp chamber), necessitating more extensive treatment. Whether your tooth chip or fracture was caused by an injury, teeth grinding, or biting hard objects, inlays or onlays could be an excellent remedy.

Replacing Old Fillings

If you have old or worn-out fillings, mainly amalgam fillings, your dentist could recommend using inlays or onlays to replace them for an improved smile appearance.

Enhancing Your Teeth Strength

Your dentist could recommend inlays and onlays to help reinforce and strengthen a weakened tooth. Aside from improving the functions of the tooth, doing that can help prevent further damage, increasing its lifespan.

How to Maintain Your Inlays and Onlays

While these dental restorations are durable, proper maintenance is vital for the longevity of your inlays or onlays. Once you receive your restorations, proper oral hygiene is paramount, including flossing and brushing your teeth twice daily. Brushing and flossing your teeth helps keep them plaque-free, keeping caries and cavities at bay.

Routine dental visits are also important to allow your dentist to perform routine thorough cleaning, check your oral health, and monitor the condition of the restorations. In addition to staying on top of your oral and dental health, you should also avoid certain habits that can damage or stress your inlays and onlays. For instance, you should avoid biting hard objects or foods that damage the restorations.

If you have a teeth grinding (bruxism) issue, you should consider wearing a mouthguard at night to protect your teeth and maximize the durability of your restorations.

Alternatives to Dental Inlays or Onlays

Unfortunately, not every person is an excellent candidate for inlays or onlays. Depending on your unique case, your dentist could recommend any of the following alternative treatments to restore your teeth's functions and the appearance of your smile:

Dental Fillings

Your dentist could recommend dental fillings if you have a decayed or damaged tooth. As the name suggests, dental fillings help “fill” damaged sections to restore tooth structure, shape, size, and appearance. Depending on your preferences, your dentist or his/her lab technician can make your dental fillings using any of the following materials:

  • Porcelain.

  • Amalgam.

  • Gold.

  • Composite resin.

During your dental filling placement procedure, your dentist will do the following:

  1. Numb the affected tooth using anesthesia.

  2. Extract the decayed or damaged sections of your tooth.

  3. Fill the tooth using your preferred or recommended dental filling material.

  4. Use curing light to harden the filling material (if composite resin was your choice of filling).

  5. Smoothen and polish the edges of the filling.

  6. Check your new bite to ensure it is as well-aligned and natural as possible.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap your dentist uses to restore the strength and appearance of a broken, weak, decayed, or damaged tooth. Unlike inlays and onlays, a dental crown will cover the entire surface of the affected tooth and above your gum line. Your dentist is more likely to recommend wearing a dental crown if the damage to your tooth is extensive, making it weak to support everyday chewing.

A dental crown or cap could also be necessary after root canal therapy or dental implant placement to restore the functions of your tooth. The material your dentist or his/her lab technician will use to make your custom-made dental crowns will depend on your preferences and could include the following:

  • Porcelain.

  • Resin.

  • Metal.

  • Gold.

To prepare your tooth for a dental crown, the dentist will grind and polish it to remove sharp edges and then take its impressions using a dental putty. Like inlays and onlays, your dentist or his/her lab technician will use this putty to craft your custom-made dental crowns. Once in place, a dental crown can function like the surrounding or adjacent teeth and improve your smile appearance.

Depending on how you care for your dental implants and oral health habits, an implant can last up to twenty years or more.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a small, threaded metal post that the dentist surgically places on your jawbone to replace a missing tooth. Sometimes, if the damage or decay on your tooth is very severe, it is impossible to save it using fillings, crowns, or inlays and onlays. Your dentist could recommend tooth extraction.

Extracting the damaged tooth can help fix the issue permanently, but few can live with a gap between their teeth. That is where dental implants act as tooth roots for an artificial tooth or dental crown for an appealing smile you deserve. Aside from giving you a new charming smile, an implant can improve the strength of your tooth.

Here are a few procedures to expect during your dental implant placement surgery:

  • Skin numbing using anesthesia.

  • Creation of an incision on your gums.

  • Jaw preparation.

  • Dental implant placement.

  • Incision closure.

Dental Bridges

As the name implies, a dental bridge helps bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Unlike a dental implant implanted into your jawbone, a dental bridge requires healthy teeth on either side of the gap to act as abutments or supports for the artificial teeth that help bridge the gap in your smile.

Your dentist can create a custom dental bridge to match the shape and shade of your natural teeth, giving you an outstanding smile. Here are examples of various dental bridges your dentist could recommend if you have one or more missing teeth:

  • Cantilever dental bridges.

  • Traditional dental bridges.

  • Implant-supported dental bridges.

  • Maryland dental bridges.

To determine the ideal dental bridge type for your unique issue, your dentist will consider various factors, including age, preferences, gap size, whether the abutment teeth are natural, and overall gum and teeth health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Inlays and Onlays

Below are common and most frequent questions most people ask about inlays and onlays:

  1. Does Insurance Cover inlays and Onlays?

Since inlays and onlays help fix the effects of decay or reverse cavities, most dental insurance companies cover the cost of these dental restorations. However, it is important to consult with your dental insurance provider to know whether they offer coverage for this treatment.

  1. What is the Average Cost of Inlays and Onlays?

How much you will pay for inlays and onlays could be anywhere between $250 and $1,500 per tooth, but this price could vary depending on the following factors:

  • The material you choose to make your inlay or onlay.

  • The tooth location.

  • The size of the inlay or onlay.

  • The dentist's experience.

  1. What Should I Consider When Looking for a Dentist That Offers Inlays and Onlays?

To avoid settling for unreliable services, you should take your time to find a competent dentist to help fix your tooth damage or decay using inlays or onlays. Ensure the dentist you choose for this crucial treatment is:

  • Reputable.

  • Qualified and certified.

  • Experienced.

  • Licensed.

Find a Credible Dentist Near Me

Aside from affecting your teeth' functions and smile appearance, a damaged or decayed tooth could put you at risk of other health issues when left untreated. The sooner you seek treatment for your damaged tooth, the better, even if it is not painful or bothersome.

If you are looking for a reliable dentist for inlays and onlays in Fullerton, our reliable dentist at Tayani Dental Group can offer personalized care in a comfortable and serene environment. Whether you want porcelain inlays for improved aesthetics or durable gold onlays to restore your damaged or decayed teeth, our reliable dentists can offer you the reliable and precise treatment you need.

We invite you to call us at 949-741-0795 and let our experienced dentists help determine whether you are an excellent candidate for inlays or onlays, wherever you are in Fullerton. Even if you are not an excellent candidate for inlays or onlays, our dentist can explore other options to help restore your teeth' functions and smile appearance.