Tooth Colored Restorations
Tooth Colored Restorations
We can restore a tooth with a minimally invasive procedure known as an Inlay, Onlay or Fillling.
Inlays / Onlays / White Fillings
Inlays, Onlays and Fillings are restorations that are made to teeth that have a mild to moderate amount of decay. They can be made of composite resin material, porcelain, or gold by a dental laboratory. Once completed, they will be bonded to the tooth. For natural looking restorations we use composite resin or porcelain materials to:
- Restore teeth that are cracked or fractured if the damage is not severe enough to require a dental crown.
- Replace metal fillings for patients who desire a more natural looking smile.
- Their use helps to conserve much of the natural tooth structure.
Restoration Procedure
- Porcelain Inlay fills a hole inside the tooth. Porcelain Onlay sits on top of the tooth, covering it, to build up its shape.
- Composite (White) Filling, like an inlay, fills the hole inside the tooth. The difference is in the material used for filling the hole. Although durable, it is not as strong as porcelain.
Treatment
Treatment involves isolating the tooth and removing any old fillings or damaged tooth structure under local anesthesia.
- Filling: The hole in the tooth will be filled with a composite resin and cured. It is then bonded/cemented into the tooth and any necessary adjustments and filings are done to ensure comfort.
- Inlay / Onlay: An impression of the tooth is made, then the inlay or onlay is created from porcelain material in an on-site or off-site lab. When the inlay or onlay is completed, it is placed into or onto the tooth and bonded securely into place. Adjustments may be made to ensure the tooth is comfortable to bite on.
Benefits of Inlays / Onlays / White Fillings
In treating dental decay, inlays / onlays and fillings help to eliminate tooth sensitivity and eventual tooth loss. Additional benefits are:
- Made from tooth-colored material, porcelain inlays / onlays and composite fillings are virtually invisible.
- Unlike metal, porcelain inlays / onlays and composite fillings expand or contract less in response to temperature changes caused by hot or cold foods diminishing the possibility of fracture.
- They require less tooth reduction than metal fillings allowing the dentist to conserve more natural tooth structure.
- The durable porcelain material from which inlays and onlays are made helps them last up to 30 years, much longer than that of conventional amalgam (silver) fillings. Although not as durable as porcelain, composite fillings last a long time.
- Porcelain Inlays / onlays and composite fillings can replace silver fillings to create a healthier, more natural-looking smile.
- By saving decayed teeth, porcelain inlays / onlays and composite fillings prevent the need for more extensive treatment later on.