Our skilled dentists at Chichetti & Patel Dental Wellness may recommend a dental inlay or onlay to repair tooth damage. This treatment works to restore your oral health and smile while also preserving as many of your original teeth as possible.
If you have minor tooth decay, your dentist may use a dental inlay instead of a filling when the cavity is in the middle of your tooth rather than along the edge. A dental inlay is made of pre-molded, tooth-colored composite material or porcelain and fits into the top grooves of a tooth.
We use dental onlays to repair teeth with more extensive damage that has spread to edge of the tooth, or the biting surface. An onlay is made the same way as an inlay, but it is made to cover the higher points around the edges of the tooth.
Getting a dental inlay or onlay is a straightforward process, similar to a filling, but with an extra step. First, your dentist will numb the area involved and clean out the decayed material with special tools. Once all the decay is removed, the dentist will take an impression of your tooth and fabricate your inlay or onlay in house using our CEREC machine to match the color of your tooth. Dental inlays and onlays are virtually invisible and usually last longer than regular fillings.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joe Chichetti or Dr. Reena Patel and learn more about dental inlays and onlays in Charlotte, North Carolina, call Chichetti & Patel Dental Wellness at (704) 548-1818.
