Inlays and onlays are cosmetic dentistry procedures used for dental restorations, and there are several reasons why your cosmetic dentist may recommend dental inlays or dental onlays in Park Ridge. Often used in place of traditional fillings, inlays and onlays can be made from materials such as porcelain and gold, and are fitted then bonded to the decayed or damaged tooth.

Long-Term Coverage

Inlays and onlays provide long-term restorations for teeth, and they can be fabricated to look like they are a part of your natural tooth. Unlike resin fillings, inlays and onlays are unlikely to become discolored over time and are less likely to break down. These dental procedures offer exceptional stability and are an ideal solution for tooth decay. Inlays and onlays can strengthen damaged teeth, restore damaged areas, and can preserve the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure.

Preparation for a Crown

This type of dental procedure is often used as a conservative preparation measure for dental crowns. If you have minimal or moderate tooth decay, your dentist may recommend inlays or onlays to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible before fitting your tooth with a crown.

Ease of Cleaning

Compared to dental crowns, inlays and onlays are easier to clean because they are tailored at all edges to fit your tooth. Unlike composites, which can shrink during the curing process, inlays and onlays will remain unchanged, ensuring an accurate fit. For cavities that have developed between two teeth, inlays offer superior protection against bacteria compared to composite fillings. Because they provide a precise fit and can be placed in the tight areas between your teeth, inlays and onlays offer an easy-to-clean form of dental restoration.

Measure of Compromise

In many cases, dentists recommend inlays and onlays when the damage to a tooth is too severe to be repaired by a traditional filling, or when the decay isn’t significant enough to warrant a dental crown. Inlays and onlays provide a restoration measure that meets between these 2 procedures.