Inlays and Onlays (Porcelain Restorations)
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.