While most patients may be familiar with fillings and crowns, they may not know inlays and onlays. Our qualified dentists near you use inlays and onlays to restore damaged or decayed teeth. The restorations take their name from the way they are placed on the tooth.
Inlays and onlays offer multiple advantages. For example, unlike fillings, inlays, and onlays in Livonia, MI, strengthen the tooth structure and add at least 50-60% more chewing force to a damaged tooth.
Inlays are ideal restorations for teeth that are too weak to support a filling but not damaged enough to merit a dental crown. Our experienced dentists at Willow Wood Dental use inlays to seal cavities too large for composite resin fillings.
One of our dentists will drill away decayed material and clean the chewing surface before placing an inlay between the cusps. Inlays are ‘indirect restorations’ as they are prepared in an off-site lab before being cemented onto the tooth.
Our reliable dentist in Livonia, MI, places an onlay when the damage to the tooth not involves the chewing surface but also extends to one or more cusps. Porcelain onlays are preferred for their strength, durability, and superior aesthetics.
After evaluating your oral cavity using the latest 3D digital software, we will help you determine the best type of restoration for your needs.
We will first mill down the tooth, take accurate measurements of the depth, size, and shape, and send the molds to an off-site dental lab. Once the inlay or onlay is ready, we clean the tooth and bond the restoration using special dental cement. The entire process is simple and painless.
Inlays and onlays near you don’t contract and expand upon contact with hot and cold foods. However, patients should floss properly under the treated tooth to prevent decay from forming underneath.
Please call Willow Wood Dental or use our easy-to-use online tools to book a consultation with our skilled dental specialists.