Porcelain Dental Inlays / Onlays

Springfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham, MA Cosmetic Dentistry

Advances in dental technology have made it possible to maintain a beautiful smile even when you have dental cavities. While metal amalgam fillings are still widely used, today you have options such as tooth colored fillings or dental inlays or onlays to fill cavities with materials that match the color of your teeth. The result is a virtually invisible dental restoration. At Baystate Dental, our goal is to make your restored teeth look as natural as possible, and porcelain dental inlays and onlays are one method we use to meet that goal.

Dental inlays are used when a tooth is decayed or damaged (cracked or fractured) within the tooth cusps.

When the decay or damage affects one or more of the tooth cusps (ridges) and an outside tooth surface, onlays are necessary. They are a step between a filling and a tooth crown.

How Dental Inlays and Onlays are Created

Dental inlays and onlays are typically made in a dental laboratory to the exact specifications of your tooth. The cosmetic dentist will carefully remove the entire decayed portion of the tooth and then make an impression of it to send to the laboratory. The porcelain is matched to the exact shade of your tooth so the restoration blends flawlessly.

While waiting for your custom dental inlay or onlay, which may take two weeks, we will provide you with a temporary restoration to protect your tooth and allow you to chew comfortably and safely. Once the custom restoration has arrived, you return to the office to have it checked for perfect fit and cemented into place.

One-Visit Dental Inlays and Onlays

In the near future, Baystate Dental will have the ability to create and mill porcelain dental inlays and onlays in-house using CEREC technology. This system will allow us to fit you with custom-made porcelain inlays and onlays in just one office visit.

Advantages of Dental Inlays and Onlays

Porcelain dental inlays and onlays have some advantages over metal fillings, such as:

• Your teeth are made stronger, not weaker
• More of your natural tooth can be preserved
• They are more durable
• They do not expand and contract with cold or hot foods and therefore will not crack the teeth
• They are natural-looking

If you live in the East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, West Springfield or Springfield, Massachusetts areas and would like to see if you are a candidate for porcelain dental inlays or onlays, please contact the outstanding cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental for a free cosmetic dentistry consultation.