Inlays & Onlays London

Inlays and Onlays offer a range of benefits:

• The material used, whether you choose gold or porcelain, is extremely hard-wearing
• With the correct oral care, they will last for years, with greater longevity than a standard filling
• They are created by skilled dental laboratories bespoke to your teeth
• Offers a great solution if you have recurring broken fillings

Here’s how the inlays and onlays procedure works…

First of all, you’ll come in for an initial consultation. Expect a warm welcome from our friendly team, followed by a thorough discussion with one of our dentists about the level of damage or decay, and what’s needed to restore the tooth.

Your dentist will then make an impression of the tooth to send off to a lab, where your prosthetic inlay or onlay is created bespoke. This can take a couple of weeks, so you’ll have a filling inserted as a temporary measure.

Finally, you’ll return for your permanent inlay and onlay fitting, which involves the removal of the temporary filling and cementing the new prosthetic in place with resin. Your dentist will then check everything is as it should be in terms of bite, making any adjustments as necessary.

Inlays and onlays are prosthetic pieces made from porcelain, that are custom-made to fill a cavity. Inlays and onlays are designed to repair damage or decay at the upper part of the tooth. In other words, the chewing surface of the tooth. 

What are the benefits of onlays and inlays?
There are many benefits to dental inlays and dental onlays, including..

• Great, long-lasting fit
• More resistant than traditional fillings
• Reduced chance of gum disease
• Easy to clean
• Can strengthen teeth when well looked after

Inlays are often described as large fillings. They’re used to fill in the gaps between your teeth, or, the ‘cusps’ as they’re often referred to. Onlays are larger than dental inlays, and can be used to cover more than one cusp. They’re sometimes referred to as a partial crown. Both inlays and onlays serve the same purpose, which is to repair damage or decay at the top of the tooth – the chewing surface. Inlays and onlays can also be a brilliant replacement solution for metal fillings.

Your dentist will discuss the right treatment for you in detail. There are multiple factors that will determine whether a dental inlay or a dental onlay is suitable, such as the size of the cavity. You’ll explore your options with your dentist at your initial consultation.

It’s hard to give an exact number, but inlays and onlays are strong and durable, and known to last for many years. Unlike traditional metal-made fillings, inlays and onlays can actually strengthen the teeth. Longevity will depend on things like the condition of the tooth, the nerve quality inside the tooth, and the patient’s general oral health. 

Inlays and onlays treatments can span several appointments. After an initial consultation, your dentist will drill the affected tooth, and create an impression of the cavity. This impression is then sent to an external lab, where it’s made into a permanent inlay or onlay. This is then fitted with resin – a cement-like substance. Finally, your dentist will check your bite and make any necessary tweaks.

You can expect to pay the same for an inlay or onlay as you would a traditional filling, although the cost of the treatment does depend on the damage or decay and the condition of the tooth. Your consultant will discuss the costs with you in full prior to the treatment.

In order to make an impression of the damaged tooth, your dentist will need to drill some of the damaged tooth away, and you might experience sensitivity or soreness afterwards. Your dentist will fit a temporary filling at this point, and you may need to avoid certain foods, as well. Rest assured, though, all will be discussed with you in detail.

You’ll need to look after your inlays or onlays just like you would your regular teeth. So by brushing twice daily, flossing once a day, and maintaining regular checks with your dentist and hygienist. Your dentist may also advise you avoid certain foods when your temporary filling is in place so as not to dislodge it before your permanent prosthetic arrives.

Both materials are durable and hard-wearing, so it depends on whether you would like a tooth coloured material or gold. Gold inlays and onlays are thought to have better longevity, however with the technology today the porcelain inlays and onlays offer a similar result.

Whether you have an inlay or onlay, it will take two visits over the course of two weeks to complete treatment. During the first visit the dentist will clean out the area of decay and take an impression of the tooth. The dentist will then use a temporary filling to protect the cavity until your next appointment. The impression will be sent off to the dental laboratory to create a bespoke porcelain or gold cap. During your second visit the temporary filling is removed and inlay or onlay is in its place with dental cement.