If your tooth is damaged, decayed, or injured, you have a few options for restoring the tooth’s structure, appearance, and function. When the tooth is not damaged enough to require a crown, our dentist may recommend a dental inlay or onlay. Sometimes called partial crowns, inlays and onlays are used to replace only a portion of the tooth’s structure, whereas a dental crown is used to completely cover the damaged tooth. Like crowns, inlays and onlays are custom made from molds and impressions of the teeth to precisely fit your smile. We often recommend inlays and onlays made from high-quality porcelain, which can be color matched to your original tooth color. With a custom porcelain inlay or onlay, no one will be able to tell that your tooth was damaged.
Dental inlays and onlays perform the same function in restoring damaged teeth, but they are slightly different. Dr. Sami Y. Nouhad may recommend a dental inlay in Los Angeles, California, to repair a tooth with damage contained within the cusps of the tooth. A dental onlay, on the other hand, is used to restore one or more of the tooth cusps as well. To discover whether an inlay or onlay is right for restoring and enhancing your smile, we invite you to contact our office today.