If an alternative to traditional fillings and crowns that can protect your tooth and even make it stronger were available, would you be interested? Well, our
Asbury Park cosmetic dentist, Dr. Marc Berley, wants you to know about dental inlays and onlays and how they can offer you some impressive benefits.
Asbury Park Dentist Office
Inlays and onlays are sometimes referred to as indirect fillings. They are strong, safe, durable. And because they are fashioned in a dental lab and then custom fitted and bonded to your tooth, you get to retain more of your natural tooth material during the process. With traditional fillings, they are molded in place immediately and thus lack the flexibility that our
Asbury Park cosmetic dentist can achieve with inlays and onlays. They work best with small and medium sized cavities, matching the natural tooth color very well and boasting a longer durability than standard fillings do. Inlays and onlays provide a precise fit thanks to them being made in the lab. It seals your tooth better, keeping out bacteria and thus making further tooth decay less likely. In cases where they are used to repair a damaged tooth, instead of a crown, they can make your tooth stronger than it was before the damage.
Inlays are bonded to the center of your tooth. Onlays are used when the dental work needed extended to the full biting area or a greater range than the inlay. To get an inlay or onlay, you will usually need to make two visits to our
Asbury Park cosmetic dentist. During your first session, your tooth will be prepared and a molded impression will be taken to be sent out to the dental lab. When you come back for your second session, the inlay or onlay will be fitted and bonded.
You may be wondering what material is used to make your inlays and onlays. Gold is favored for back teeth. The reason is because it is strong enough to withstand the force of chewing, which is most intensely felt on the back teeth. Of course, gold does not match your tooth color and that is why materials such as porcelain, which mimics the color of your teeth very well, are often used for inlays and onlays on your front teeth. Our
Asbury Park cosmetic dentist will discuss your options with you and offer a recommendation.
