What are Inlays/Onlays? Dental inlays and onlays are traditionally made of porcelain and are used to repair teeth that are too damaged to repair with a filling but not damaged enough to require a dental crown.
Why Do Patients Need Inlays/Onlays?
Cracked or chipped teeth
Teeth that cannot be repaired with a simple filling but thankfully do not require more extensive procedures, like a root canal or crown
Moderate to Severe Tooth decay
When tooth decay results in the need for a dental inlay or onlay or crown to save the capacity of the tooth.
Traditional Inlay/Onlay Procedure: 2-3 Appointments
First Visit: Preparing the Tooth
After having a consultation, they will use local anesthetic around the gums near your affected tooth. They will then use a drill to extract the damaged portion of your tooth.
Next, your dentist will file down certain parts of your tooth to prepare the surface for the inlay or onlay materials to adhere properly.
Your dentist will then make an impression of your tooth using a dental tray and puddy. That impression is then sent to a lab where your customized inlay or onlay is made. This process can take 2-4 weeks. In the meantime, you dentist will provide you with temporary inlay/onlay to wear.
Second Visit: Receive in Inlay/Onlay
Once the dental office has received your custom inlay/onlay from the lab, they will call you to schedule a follow-up appointment.
During your second appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary inlay or onlay, clean your teeth, and place your permanent inlay/onlay in your mouth with dental cement.
Your dentist will finally smooth and polish the inlay or onlay to ensure a comfortable bite and to ensure it does not scrape your mouth or tongue or interfere with daily functions.
One-Day Inlay/Onlay Procedure: 1 Appointment
The Difference:
The entire procedure is done in one office visit
There are less numbing injections
There are no dental impressions. At SDS, we use advanced Sirona Connect technology to take a digital image of your teeth that is more accurate and less uncomfortable than those trays filled with goo.
Because we complete the procedure in one day, there is no need for uncomfortable temporary inlay/onlays
Thanks to our CEREC and Sirona technologies, we can provide our patients with faster, accurate and comfortable dentistry.
Making the inlays/onlays in-house means fast edits can be made, making sure you leave our office with a dazzling, comfortable smile.
