Tooth-Colored Inlays & Onlays by Florida Dentist, Dr. Thomas O'Neil

Tooth Colored Inlays and Onlays

This is a major breakthrough in conservative dentistry. Some of us remember gold inlays and onlays and their long-lasting durability. But pretty? Not really; not by today’s standards. But you can possibly avoid caps and conserve tooth structure if you are a candidate for these tooth colored, lab processed, and beautifully crafted laser bonded inlays or onlays. An inlay is the preferred treatment when tooth decay or damage lies within the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is the needed treatment if the extent of damage is greater; requiring the new restoration to cover the entire chewing surface of one or more tooth cusp tips. Inlays and onlays allow for the preservation and conservation of healthy tooth structure while strengthening it at the same time. The two-visit process is such. After preparing and impressing, new high tech porcelain and resin materials are fabricated at the dental lab to custom fit and perfectly match your tooth color. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the inlay or onlay is then laser bonded onto your tooth to become “one”, natural looking tooth. Even dentists have been fooled by their appearance thinking they are natural teeth that have never been restored. And because of the strength of laser bonding, there is no need to cut away chunks of healthy tooth structure or grind the tooth down to a stub for the sake of retention. Only the decay and damaged tooth structure is removed. Hence, teeth will last longer and dental emergencies will be minimized.

Visit our cosmetic dentistry site for more information.