Inlays & Onlays in New Britain, CT

At Family Dentistry of Central Connecticut, we provide the best dental care in New Britain. The ideal candidates for inlays and onlays include those whose teeth are too damaged or decayed to be treated successfully using a filling but have enough of their tooth left to avoid needing a crown. This allows us to keep more of your original tooth.

There are multiple reasons why inlays and onlays may benefit you more than metal fillings:

• Onlays and inlays are durable – made from tough material that is hard-wearing that can last up to thirty years.
• Onlays and inlays will prolong your tooth’s life and help prevent needing more dental repair in the future.
• They will help strengthen your teeth by as much as 75%, unlike your traditional metal fillings that can reduce the strength of your teeth by as much as 50%.

Dental inlays and onlays are used when old fillings need to be replaced or removed. A dental inlay is a lot like a filling, and it fits inside the top edges of your tooth. Whereas, a dental onlay is broader and will extend over the cusps of your treated tooth.While you are undergoing treatment, your Family Dentistry of Central Connecticut dentist will put you under local anesthesia, remove your old filling, and take an impression of your tooth. Your dental impression is then sent to a dental lab. The new onlay or inlay will be made from this mold from gold, a composite resin material, or porcelain. The onlay or inlay will then be cemented in place during your next appointment. The onlay or inlay will blend easily with your treated tooth and the rest of your teeth to make a uniform, natural look.

How are onlays and inlays done?

It will take two separate appointments for your onlays or inlays to be completed, and the final bond is finished to your damaged spot on your tooth. Onlays and inlays are both performed by the very same type procedures. For the first appointment, Family Dentistry of Central Connecticut will start this procedure by numbing with a local anesthetic of the area where he will be treating. He will remove any damage or decay by drilling, and that will prepare and clean the tooth for the onlay or inlay.Using a small tray with dental putty, the dentist places over your tooth, Family Dentistry of Central Connecticut will take an impression of the damaged tooth. The impression is then sent out to a dental lab, where a dental onlay or inlay will be created to fit your tooth. Onlays and inlays are made most of the time from porcelain, as it matches the normal color of your teeth the best, but it can be made from gold or some composite resin. While your onlay or inlay is being made, your dentist will design a temporary cover or filling for your tooth so it will be protected until your final appointment.At your second and last appointment, Family Dentistry of Central Connecticut will take out the temporary cover or filling he placed the last time and then ensure that your new onlay or inlay will fit correctly. When it fits perfectly, your dentist will bond your onlay or inlay to your tooth using a strong resin adhesive. The onlay and inlay are considered completed by using a polish to make sure there is an aesthetically and smooth finish.Each visit to your dentist for your onlay or inlay will take almost an hour, but that first appointment could take longer because of all the preparation. There could be some discomfort afterward, and that new tooth surface might feel a little weird, but you will get used to the way your new tooth feels and the way it looks. The tissue around that tooth could be sore for a couple of days. If you feel some discomfort, take over the counter meds to help with the symptoms.Each visit to your dentist for onlay or inlay treatment will take almost an hour, with your first appointment taking a little longer because of the preparation process. There might be some discomfort after the onlay or inlay procedure, and the new tooth surface might feel a little odd, but you will soon get used to that new tooth surface and the way it feels and looks in your mouth. The tissue surrounding your treated tooth might feel sensitive or sore, but this should get better in a couple of days. If you do feel some pain or discomfort, you can take over-the-counter pain meds to help with the symptoms.