partial crown bluffton dentist

Inlays and Onlays (Porcelain Restorations)

What is an Inlay or an Onlay?
Inlays and onlays, sometimes referred to as partial crowns, are used when there is too much damage to the tooth for a filling, but enough healthy tooth enamel remaining to forego a full crown. The condition of the tooth determines which option will be best for your restoration.

An inlay is used to fill in damaged parts of a tooth when there is no damage to its cusps. (Cusps are the pointed parts on the tops of your teeth.)  If that portion of your tooth is damaged, however, an onlay, which adds the missing cusps as part of the restoration, may be necessary. Either can be made of gold, porcelain, or a composite material.

What can I expect?
Inlays and onlays are usually completed in two relatively painless appointments. There are times, however, when a third appointment is necessary to ensure proper fit.

At the first appointment, Dr. Porcelli will remove all the decayed parts of the tooth to determine which type of restoration you will need. Then, an impression of your tooth is taken and sent to our lab, which creates your customized inlay or onlay. After this visit, you will go home with a temporary restoration closely resembling your natural tooth.

The second visit is all about comfortably fitting your new inlay or onlay (partial crown) to your teeth. Once that is done, the inlay or onlay is cemented into place, leaving you with a decay-free and damage-free tooth.