Inlays and Onlays

Beautiful restorations are an important part of retaining and preserving your natural smile. As your Hickory, NC area dental provider, at Fresh Dental, dental inlays and onlays are the preferred type of restoration when your tooth is too damaged for a filling but not damaged enough for a crown (otherwise known as a dental cap or tooth cap).

Damage to a tooth that is too severe to support a filling but not severe enough to require a dental cap calls for a dental inlay or onlay. Using a filling when a dental inlay is needed results in the continued decay of the remaining tooth, which eventually leads to the need for a root canal. Receiving a tooth cap or crown when one is not called for results in the unnecessary removal of healthy tooth structure.

Dental inlays are similar to fillings and fit inside the outer edges of the tooth. They can be made out of a variety of materials, but most often they’re made out of tooth-colored porcelain. The inlay procedure requires approximately two visits with Hickory dentists Drs. Thayer Bouali, Joti Johal, and Richard Dunning. During the first appointment, you receive a tooth-decay treatment; then impressions are taken and the temporary inlay is applied to the tooth. At the second appointment, the permanent inlay is bonded to the tooth, hiding any signs of imperfection.

Dental onlays, sometimes referred to as partial tooth caps, are similar to inlays in that the procedure is the same and takes place over the course of two days. Like a dental cap, it is a custom-made fitting that we secure to the damaged tooth; however, unlike a dental cap, it only covers a small portion of the affected tooth. Onlays cover one or more of the outer edges of a tooth. They are the conservative alternative to receiving a crown or tooth cap, and they preserve more of your natural tooth.

Q: Do inlays and onlays fix cavities?
A: Drs. Bouali, Johal, and Dunning use inlays and onlays, much like fillings, to fill or cover the area where a cavity once was. It minimizes the possibility of further decay to the existing tooth.

Q: What are the most common treatments for tooth decay?
A: The most common tooth decay treatments that Drs. Bouali, Johal, and Dunning use include:

• Fluoride treatments
• Restorations, including fillings, inlays, onlays, and crowns/tooth caps
• Root canals
• In the most extreme cases, extraction

At Fresh Dental, we can also use dental inlays and onlays for cosmetic enhancement. If you would like to find out more about these restoration options, call (828) 270-3007 today to schedule an appointment with our Hickory dental office.

• (828) 405 1501
• Book Now
• No Insurance?

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Dental Services Offered at Hickory NC FRESHDental

• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Dental Crowns
• Dental Implants
• Dentures
• Digital X-rays
• Emergency Dental Services
• Family Dentist
• Fixed and Removeable Bridges
• Fluoride Treatment
• General Dentistry
• Gum Disease Treatment
• Hygiene Services
• Inlays and Onlays
• Invisalign
• Oral Cancer Screenings
• Orthodontics
• Porcelain Veneers
• Professional Teeth Cleanings
• Root Canals
• Sealants
• Smile Design Treatment
• Teeth Whitening
• Tooth Decay Prevention
• Tooth Extractions
• Tooth Fillings
• Wisdom Teeth Removal

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