Have you ever heard someone mention dental inlays and onlays? If not, that’s OK! Many people are unfamiliar with this restorative treatment … until they visit us at Gentle Dental Langley, their dentist in Langley.
Some background on inlays and onlays
Gold inlays were primarily used to restore tooth structure affected by decay. Nowadays, they are used the same way but are available in undetectable tooth-colored materials, including ceramic/porcelain and synthetic resins. It’s an option when your cavity is too big for just a filling … or you’d like to replace an old amalgam filling.
An onlay, also known as a partial crown, is used to fix a tooth with significant damage to its cusp (the tip). As your dentist in Langley, we will place a temporary onlay, which will stay in your mouth until your permanent onlay arrives at our practice from the trusted lab that does our restorative work. You will then need to come in for a second visit to have it properly fitted and bonded to your tooth.
4 reasons inlays and onlays could be right for you
- heavily decayed teeth
- fractured fillings
- fractured or broken teeth
- cosmetic enhancement.
Both restorative treatments are used on molars (your back teeth) or premolars (teeth beside the molars). As your dentist in Langley, we can colour-match inlays and onlays to look just like the rest of your natural teeth! You can smile away – as many times as you like – and you guessed it … no one will be able to tell you have had a restoration placed on your tooth!
Interested in learning more? Gentle Dental Langley is just a phone call away. We’d love to book you in for a consultation to help determine if inlays or onlays are right for your smile! Preserving and protecting your teeth and overall oral health is something we take great pride in.
Yours in continuing dental health,
Dr. Paul Dhillon, general dentist in Langley