Inlays and Onlays in Greenville, TX

For dental patients who have a tooth damaged by tooth decay, they no longer need to worry about losing their teeth. Dental technology has improved so much over the past few years that extractions are rarely an option. Techniques that dentists use to save teeth include applying inlays and onlays,

What are Inlays and Onlays?

Both inlays and onlays replace the surface area of teeth that have eroded due to damage from food particles, acids, and plaque that have broken down and caused tooth decay. Inlays fit between the cusps of teeth to cover damage “in” the tooth. Onlays do the same, but they fit “on” the tooth to help restore the tooth and its function.

Benefits of Inlays and Onlays

When patients have moderate tooth damage, they don’t need to worry about having an expensive crown applied to it to save and restore its function. Instead, our highly skilled dentist at Graham Family Dental can use the material to form an inlay or onlay to cover the damaged area, so the tooth looks and functions normally.

Materials Used for Restoration

To restore the tooth, our dentist in Greenville, TX would use some of the latest materials like composite resins or porcelain, to replace the tooth’s damaged area. While composite resins, which are the same color as the tooth, can last up to five years, porcelain is much stronger can last up to 20 years or more with good care. Porcelain is carefully matched to blend in with the color of your teeth.

More Conservative Treatment

When examining the damage of a tooth, our dentist considers the consequences of the restoration options they can use to restore it. When a tooth has moderate damage, the more conservative approach is to remove the damage and replace it with an inlay or onlay.

Placing a crown on the tooth is more drastic because more of the tooth may need to be removed to fit the crown properly. If you have tooth damage from decay, consult our best dentist at Graham Family Dental in Greenville, TX to find out if an inlay or onlay is your best option to save and restore your tooth.