Filling vs. Inlay vs. Onlay vs. Crown: What’s The Difference and Which is the Right One for You?

Ideally, you wouldn’t be looking for porcelain onlays near you because it means that you have a severely damaged tooth. Unfortunately, the truth is that many patients visit our dental clinic in Edina due to a cracked tooth.

Your permanent teeth should be that – permanent! Luckily, thanks to modern dentistry, there are many treatments to restore a cavity and extend the life of a damaged tooth.

Choosing the right dental restoration is the key to successful treatment; otherwise, the remedy can be worse than the disease. For example, if you have a large cavity, and you restore it with a resin composite, it will likely crack in little time because the resin cannot withstand heavy biting forces.

Make sure to visit a dental clinic near you with a team of experts that can perform a correct diagnostic and plan the best treatment for your specific case. If a cavity is left untreated, bacteria can spread to the pulp (which contains the nerves and vessels of the tooth) inside and infect it. If it is your case, you will need root canal treatment and, in the worst-case scenario, a dental extraction.

Look no further to find out about durable restorations that will strengthen your teeth and extend their lives.

Restorations for Back Teeth

Porcelain onlays in Edina, along with porcelain inlays, are an outstanding option to restore your back teeth (molars). They match the color of your tooth for a more aesthetic look, and they are long-lasting.

Benefits of Inlays and Onlays:

• Durable – Since they are porcelain restorations, they can last up to 10 years and even more, with proper care.
• Natural look – They will match the color of your natural teeth, and you will look as if nothing ever happened.
• Strengthen teeth – Unlike composite resin, they offer more resistance to the remnant tooth structure.
• Eat comfortably – You can eat without any fears of breaking the restorations. Keep in mind that you still need to avoid biting hard objects like ice, but this is something that you would need to do even if you didn’t have any dental restorations.
• Non-invasive – Unlike dental crowns, it is not necessary to remove tooth structure beyond the damaged one. They are called partial crowns.
• Extend the life of your tooth – With proper dental restorations, your tooth can be inside your mouth for many more years to come.

The Procedure

First, your dentist will remove the tooth decay and take an impression of your teeth. He or she will send it to a dental laboratory for them to create the restoration. Afterward, they will bond it to your dental piece with special cement, which they will harden with the use of a curing light.

Inlays vs. Onlays  

The main difference is the part of the tooth that they repair. When there is a damaged cusp, your dental professional will cement an onlay; when there is only harm in the top portion of the dental piece, an inlay will be enough.

Composite Fillings

Composite resins fill mild to moderate cavities; otherwise, they will break because composite resins don’t withstand severe occlusal forces.

They are tooth-colored and a popular dental restoration. It is often the first dental treatment that many people get; however if there is severe decay, it is best to opt for a porcelain restoration, like an inlay or an onlay. And if there’s little tooth structure left, the best solution is getting a porcelain dental crown.

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact our dental offices. We have a team of caring doctors that look forward to helping you restore your smile!