Porcelain Onlays & Inlays

Do you need to treat a large cavity? Or maybe you have large metal fillings that you want replaced to function more like your natural teeth. With this, you may want to consider porcelain inlays or onlays. Many cavities that once required full crowns can now be repaired with porcelain inlays and onlays. Porcelain is a material that’s widely prized for its strength and its natural color. Porcelain can also be used to restore fractured teeth and replace silver or bonded fillings, thus enhancing the strength of the tooth while maintaining a more natural structure and appearance. Porcelain inlay and onlays in NYC are custom-created and shaped so that it fits perfectly inside of your prepared tooth and looks natural. It is then securely bonded, which stabilizes the tooth’s structure and prevents further decay,

About Porcelain Inlays & Onlays in NYC

Unlike a composite filling that is made from a putty-like resin, placed in a smaller cavity, and cured with a special light, porcelain inlays and onlays are custom-made pieces for your affected tooth. The manufactured custom insert is used when there is a large cavity or a tooth is missing some structure. Additionally, composite fillings are known as a “direct restoration” because it can be completed in one office visit. Meanwhile, porcelain inlays and onlays are considered an “indirect restoration” because they require a specialized ceramist and lab to create the piece that is placed during a second visit.

The Difference Between Inlays and Onlays

Dental Inlays

In the past, gold inlays were used in place of fillings to restore tooth structure-loss from large amounts of decay. Similar to fillings, inlays fit inside the tooth. Today, inlays are used to restore teeth with the same problems, but now they can be made of porcelain that resembles the appearance of a natural tooth. Previous metal fillings can also be replaced with a new porcelain inlay and bonded to the remaining natural tooth. In fact, this bonding procedure to seal the inlay may even improve the overall strength of the tooth.

Dental Onlays

While onlays also fit inside the tooth, they also extend beyond the chewing surface and covers one or more edges of the tooth. Like inlays, onlays were made of only gold in the past. Using porcelain for modern onlays allows the piece to be bonded to the tooth, thus strengthening the entire structure.

Benefits of the Treatment

When deciding if porcelain inlays or onlays are right for you, consider the following benefits this treatment offers:

• The color of the porcelain restoration can be matched to your existing tooth to mimic its natural appearance. Porcelain is much more aesthetically pleasing than metal options.
• Porcelain inlays and onlays function and feel just like natural teeth.
• The material they are made from is stain-resistant.
• Once bonded, inlays and onlays add significant strength to a decayed tooth.
• Porcelain inlays and onlays are designed to last a long time, and therefore very durable.

Call our office today to see if you are a good candidate for this treatment. In addition to porcelain inlays and onlays in NYC, we offer a variety of porcelain veneers and laminates.