When Should You Consider an Inlay over Dental Fillings?
Has your dentist suggested a dental inlay instead of dental fillings to make you wonder why you must accept the dentist’s proposal to have an inlay over your tooth damaged by decay? You will likely want to know more about dental inlays, what they are and why they become necessary to fill a cavity needing multiple appointments instead of completing the procedure in one visit.
If you have tooth decay, you generally expect the dentist to suggest dental fillers of silver or gold for the molars because they are durable and robust. However, you might wonder whether something is severely wrong with your tooth to need an inlay for your back teeth primarily used for chewing.
While you might express surprise at why the dentist in Chester Springs, PA, suggested an inlay over a decayed molar, it helps if you understand dental inlays are not similar to fillings placed in decayed teeth. In reality, inlays are indirect fillings customized explicitly for you in a dental laboratory and used only to fill cavities on molars because you have significant decay without adequate tooth structure remaining for restoration by a dental filling.
Explaining Dental Inlays
After receiving a recommendation for inlays near me, you might want to research the restoration to understand what it is and how it can help your affected tooth. The term dental delays would probably confuse everyone because these are alternative techniques of restoring teeth that definitively provide more robust chewing surfaces using a conservative procedure.
Generally, dental fillings help fill minor cavities, and dental crowns are suggested if you have extensive damage to a tooth from decay. However, there are some situations when fillings are inadequate and dental crowns are too vast. In such cases, dental inlays and Onlays near you are recommended by dentists when they need a therapeutic solution appropriate for the damage to your tooth. Inlays are more substantial than dental fillings but are a conservative measure than dental crowns.
Inlays are appropriate for filling cavities and tooth hollows between the cusps. On the other hand, Onlays are suitable for a larger area because they help provide more substantial coverage by covering the entire surface of the tooth without encasing it like a dental crown. The materials helping make inlays and Onlays are similar and serve the same purpose but cover different areas of the tooth to provide adequate protection against tooth decay.
When Are Inlays Suggested?
You might receive a suggestion for inlays from the dentist’s office near me if you have a decayed or injured tooth with significant damage to the chewing surface. The creation of inlays happens in a dental laboratory after your dentist takes impressions of the affected area to fabricate the indirect restoration. When dentists take impressions of your tooth, they also try to best match the tooth’s color to ensure the restoration remains indistinguishable in your mouth by choosing the material matching the color of your natural teeth. Dentists recommend an inlay when they believe fillings are inadequate to strengthen the surrounding tooth and the cavity needs stronger materials to fortify it.
In contrast, Onlays are similar to dental crowns but function differently because they do not encase the entire tooth and don’t require significant tooth structure removal like it is familiar with crowns.
Procedure for Getting Dental Inlays
The procedure for getting dental inlays is similar to receiving dental fillers. The dentist starts by numbing your tooth with local anesthesia to clean the tooth of the pollution within. Inlays are appropriate to restore molars where the damages do not extend to the tooth cusps.
After tooth preparation, the dentist impressions it for the dental laboratory to fabricate a custom inlay for your tooth. You receive a temporary inlay in the affected tooth for protection. Materials like composite resin and porcelain help make dental inlays to match the color of your affected tooth. When the restoration arrives, the dentist places the restoration by initially removing the temporary inlay to bond the permanent restoration or your tooth. Dental inlays are more durable than regular fillings using a silver amalgam of composite resin for restoring teeth.
When Does the Need for Dental Inlays Arise?
You must care for your teeth appropriately to prevent damage and decay. Unfortunately, if you sustain damages or decay, dentists recommend getting a dental inlay over fillings or crowns if the damage to the biting surface satisfies the reasons mentioned below.
You might have extensive damage to the tooth needing extensive fillings that might not be adequate to support the tooth’s structure without affecting the tooth’s cusps. The severity of the damage doesn’t require sufficient tooth structure removal to justify the placement of a dental crown.
Dental inlays are effective smile restoration options, but dentists will evaluate your needs and recommend the most appropriate solution when repairing your tooth. Therefore if you receive a suggestion for having a dental inlay, rest assured the dentist is providing you with a long-term tooth restoration that will remain with you for nearly two decades with proper dental hygiene.
Dentist of Chester Springs recommends dental inlay as a solution when the damage to your tooth is too extensive for a filling but doesn’t require a dental crown. Get this restoration in your damaged tooth because it functions more effectively than dental fillings and delivers excellent results without requiring replacement every five to ten years.