Similar to crowns, onlays restore natural tooth structure damaged by fractures or decay. Onlays are custom made in a laboratory and bonded to the tooth during a follow-up visit. Onlays outperform standard fillings by strengthening (not weakening) the tooth structure. An onlay is a more conservative alternative to a full crown since it preserves the healthy tooth structure and only the damaged parts are removed.
If you would like to learn about the benefits of dental onlays in Winston-Salem, please call 336-765-2921 or email Robinson Dental Studio today.
What Are Dental Onlays?
Dental onlays are something most people aren’t familiar with, but they’re really very simple to understand. You might think of them as dental crowns “light.” Where dental crowns completely cover the visible portion of your tooth, dental onlays just cover part of it. But they’re made of the same advanced ceramic material.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Onlays?
Restored With
Porcelain Onlay
Broken Tooth
Dental onlays can be used for many of the same procedures as regular composite tooth-colored fillings. So why upgrade to dental onlays? There are many good reasons, including:
- Best aesthetics
- Maximum durability
- Strengthen teeth
- Stain resistance
- Wear resistance
Dental onlays are made of advanced ceramics similar to porcelain veneers, and they have a very attractive appearance. They are made of ceramic, so they have a luster that is more similar to what the enamel looks like. Composite fillings can be polished to look like enamel, but they can lose their polish and look less natural.
The wear resistance and fracture resistance of dental onlays is really unmatched. Placed as they are on the teeth, they are very hard to break, and long-term studies show that they can even outlast metal amalgam fillings.
Because dental onlays are made of such sturdy material, they don’t just fill cavities, they truly add strength back to your tooth. Onlays help distribute and balance forces in your teeth, reducing the risk that your restored tooth will break for fail.
And dental onlays have a stain resistant outer coating. As long as the coating isn’t worn out (which generally takes a decade or more) your onlays will resist the penetration of staining molecules. Composite fillings can get stained, and they may not respond well to teeth whitening.
If you want to learn how dental onlays can benefit you in Winston-Salem, please contact Robinson Dental Studio today.
