Tooth damage or decay can reach extremes. The extent of your damage will determine the available treatment. Dental inlays and onlays provide a solution for either extreme. More specifically, their effectiveness has to do with their coverage potential.
It depends
Dental decay can require more tooth to be filled. Or it can require a substantial amount of coverage from the selected treatment.
It’s common to treat most decay or damaged-related tooth conditions with a dental crown or a dental filling. Crowns cover the majority of your tooth structure but also require more of your tooth to be removed. A dental filling bonds to the remaining tooth structure but risks breaking or fracturing over time.
Different coverage…same result
Dental inlays and onlays are effective restorative dentistry options.
Your onlay is designed to cover the tooth surface like a crown or a large filling. Tooth restoration with an inlay allows your tooth to be filled beyond the capability of a standard filling but not as substantial as coverage provided by a crown.
Each treatment provides you with the same ultimate result. Your restorative diagnosis will determine the one that’s most necessary.
An inlay is often more durable than an amalgam (metal) or a composite (resin) filling. Treatment with an onlay can also be less costly than a dental crown.
You will be able to chew effectively following the treatment with an inlay or an onlay. The materials that are used to craft your inlay or onlay provide you with cost and appearance options as well.
Contact your Knoxville dentist about your damaged or decayed teeth. Schedule an examination to discuss cosmetic and restorative dentistry using inlays or onlays to restore your tooth function and appearance.
