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Dental Inlays and Onlays are restorations which are made use of for mending teeth with a bit of decay or cracks in them. These are teeth which are not at that stage that they need dental crowning.

For Inlay and Onlay work, the tooth or teeth cannot be filled in as their state does not permit so. However, they are not so bad in a shape that they need a dental crown.

Which are the other advantages of Dental Inlays and Onlays?

Inlays and Onlays are very durable. They are made with very stable material which can last for even up to thirty odd years. These structures aid and abet in making the teeth stronger by up to 75 percent. This is quite unlike dental metal fillings which can even cut short the inherent strength of the tooth or teeth by as high as 50 percent. Inlays and Onlays help in increasing the life span of a tooth or teeth.

When are Dental Inlays and Onlays used?

These are used when old fillings are to be replaced. An Inlay is very much similar to a filling, and it fits inside the top edges of the tooth. An Onlay, on the other hand, covers a larger surface area of the tooth and fits over the cusp or cusps of the tooth as well.

What is this treatment done?

During this therapy, the dentist first takes out the old filling. This is done after administering local anesthesia to the patient. He also takes a dental impression of the tooth and sends it to the laboratory. The Inlay or Onlay is fashioned with this mold and is made of porcelain, gold or composite resinous substance. During the next visit to the dentist, he or she then cements this into the required space. Each visit to the dentist for Inlay or Onlay work will take about 60 minutes each. The first visit may take a little while longer than the second.

How is this different from dental crowns?

Dental crowns are placed on top of dental implants. They are the upper portion which is placed atop the titanium screw which is drilled into the jaw bone. Dental crowns may also be placed on top of a tooth or teeth on which root canal therapy or endodontic treatment has been performed. This can be a cover or a cap on top of the infected, injured or fractured tooth or teeth. Dental crowns can even be placed on top of teeth which are stained or yellowed. They form a cover on such tooth or teeth so that their actual color is not visible. Even when teeth are misshapen, dental crowning can be done to hide their bad contours. Inlays and Onlays, on the other hand, are meant to repair the filling work which has previously been done on a tooth or teeth.

For details contact: 936 Market Street Suite 201, Fort Mill, SC 29708. Call: (803)306-7567.