Services
Inlays and Onlays in Carmel, IN
The middle path between a filling and a crown, saving more of your natural tooth.
Some tooth damage sits awkwardly between solutions. Too extensive for an ordinary filling to hold, yet not extensive enough to justify grinding the tooth down for a crown. That middle ground is exactly what inlays and onlays were made for.
What they are
When more than a third of a tooth’s biting surface is damaged, a large filling on a back tooth often needs a stronger and properly contoured restoration. Porcelain inlays and onlays are that restoration. An inlay fits within the cusps of the tooth; an onlay extends over one or more of them. Each is crafted at a dental lab to match your tooth precisely, then bonded into place with a strong resin.
The result protects the tooth much the way a crown would, with two advantages: more of your natural tooth structure is conserved, and porcelain matches your tooth’s natural color closely enough to disappear.
What to expect
Treatment typically takes two visits. At the first, the damaged area is prepared and an impression is taken; a temporary restoration protects the tooth while the lab crafts the porcelain piece. At the second, the finished inlay or onlay is checked against your bite, adjusted until it feels natural, and bonded permanently.
Like everything at Smile Arts Dental, the pace is set by your comfort. Numbing is unhurried, each step is explained before it happens, and comfort options are available if dental visits are difficult for you.
Built to last
Bonded porcelain is strong, stain-resistant, and durable under years of chewing. Ordinary care, brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings, is all an inlay or onlay asks.
If you have been told a tooth needs a large filling or a crown, it is fair to ask whether an inlay or onlay is the better answer. Smile Arts Dental serves patients from Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, and north Indianapolis. Call (317) 575-1995.
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