Inlays and Onlays
Dentist McHenry, IL
 Inlays and onlays are dental restoration techniques used when a regular filling is not enough to fix a tooth, but a crown is too extensive. Inlays fit into the grooves of your teeth and do not reach over the cusps. Onlays do extend over the cusps of your teeth but are not as extensive as a dental crown. A crown is used when the entire tooth needs to be capped. At McHenry Smile Center, we have various inlay and onlay materials available.
Materials
We use three main types of inlay and onlay materials; gold, ceramic, and composite resin. Gold restorations are the most expensive and they do not look the same as natural teeth. However, it is resistant to stains and it is extremely durable. Ceramic (porcelain) is less expensive and slightly more fragile. That said, it is still a fairly strong material and it looks very natural. Composite resin is the least durable of the three. However, it is also the least expensive and looks very natural as well.
Ceramic and composite resin can be used for both direct and indirect inlays and onlays. Gold restorations can only be made in a dental lab, so this can only be used for indirect inlays and onlays.
Direct Inlays and Onlays
The difference between direct and indirect inlays and onlays is where they are made. Direct inlays and onlays are produced in our dental office, so you will be able to receive them on the same day as your treatment procedure. We will need to get a dental mold either way in order to craft your custom restoration.
To begin, our dentist will provide a local anesthetic to numb the area. They will then drill away any of the decayed tooth material and clean out the bacteria. Our dentist will seal the tooth using the inlay or onlay and cement it into place. We use a dental cement that is “cured” (hardened) with a special light.
Indirect Inlays and Onlays
Indirect inlays and onlays are produced in a dental lab. We will send the dental mold to them so that they can customize a dental restoration for you. After we get the dental mold, we will remove the tooth decay and clear out any bacteria. In order to protect your tooth in between visits, we will provide a temporary filling.
The lab will send your custom inlay or onlay back to our office. We will call you at this point to schedule the next step of your procedure. On the day of the procedure, our dentist will remove the temporary filling and clean the tooth again. When the tooth is clean, they will place the inlay or onlay. Again, we will cement this in place using a dental cement and special light.
Recovery
Recovery from this procedure is short and generally only takes a few days. We will give you specific instructions regarding oral hygiene and diet following your procedure. It is important to follow these directions in order to prevent damage to the restoration and/or oral disease in the future. For more information on inlays and onlays, call (815) 578-1000 now.
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