Dental Onlays the Little-known Tooth Repair Solution

You probably know that minor cavities are treated using fillings, while bigger ones are covered using dental crowns. However, since no two fillings are the same, you can have in-between cases where the damage is too big for a typical filling and too small for a dental crown. In these instances, you may need a dental onlay to relieve dental pain and restore chewing ability.

Dental onlay restorations from Dhir Dentistry in San Diego, California, are excellent options to restore a tooth to its natural strength. Not only do they mend the damage, but they also alleviate further damage or decay by concealing bumpy cracks or surfaces.

What Exactly are Onlays? Are They the Same as Inlays?

A dental onlay is suitable when a tooth filling will compromise the tooth’s integrity structure, but the damage isn’t too extensive to warrant a dental crown. A dental onlay comes into play in such cases to restore the health and appearance of your tooth.

But is an onlay the same as an inlay? An inlay is used where there is minimal damage to the tooth, but a filling cannot strengthen the tooth properly. Inlays are installed on the tooth’s chewing surface and don’t go over cusps or raised points of your tooth. On the other hand, onlays extend beyond the biting surface to cover the cusps.

In-House Dental Onlays Right Here in Our Office

Thanks to the power of CAD/CAM technology, Dr. Sanjay Dhir and the team can plan, create, and install dental onlays without sending you to an off-site dental lab. The process starts by removing or drilling out the decayed part of your tooth after numbing your mouth. Next, we take highly-precise bite impressions of your teeth and feed the images to sophisticated software to model natural-looking, high-quality onlay restorations.

We create your onlays right here in our office as you wait! Once your dental restorations are ready, they are bonded onto your teeth and polished smooth. The result is functional, beautiful-looking teeth.

Dental onlay restorations in San Diego, CA

Our team at Dhir Dentistry is always ready to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. If you feel like dental onlays are suitable for you, please dial (858) 358-5801 to schedule an appointment today!

Share this Article