Inlays & Onlays

When more than half of a tooth is damaged, your dentist may advise replacing the damaged structure with an inlay or onlay. This is a conservative alternative to crowns and fillings.

If the damage is minimal, inlays are appropriate. When the damage is more extensive (but not enough to warrant replacement with a crown) onlays may be best.

Inlays and onlays are made from porcelain, gold or composite resins that are bonded directly to the teeth. These materials are much stronger than traditional blended-metal fillings and can help prevent further decay or damage.

Superior Materials

For stronger and more durable inlays and onlays, we recommend and use BruxZir® Solid Zirconia as our restoration material of choice. Because BruxZir is designed and milled from a single piece of zirconia using Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) there is no room for lab error. Additionally, this latest advancement in dentistry is up to 10 times as strong as traditional restorations. Ask your dentist if this material is right for you.\

Procedure

First, your dentist will remove the damaged areas (or old fillings) and then take an impression of your teeth. The impression is used to construct your inlay or onlay at a dental laboratory.

While your restoration is being constructed we will provide you with a temporary replacement.

Once completed, the final restoration will be checked for proper fit. We then bond the well-fitted onlay or inlay to your tooth with a strong resin. The fixture is dried and the new tooth is polished.