When it comes to repairing a decayed or damaged tooth, having a wide array of restoration options is important for ensuring the best possible results. While most people are familiar with fillings and crowns, inlays and onlays are less well known — but their benefits are just as important.
At Beaumont Cherry Valley Dental, Daniel Park, DDS, helps patients repair damaged teeth with state-of-the-art restorations, including durable crowns, inlays, and onlays. Here, learn how these three options stack up when it comes to restoring your beautiful smile.
In dentistry, the term crown has a couple of different meanings. Sometimes, “crown” is used to describe a replacement or artificial tooth used in a dental implant or on a bridge. More frequently, it’s used to describe a restoration used to repair an existing tooth.
This second usage is the term most people think of when they think of a dental crown. Crown restorations are designed with strong, durable materials that are custom-fitted to surround an entire tooth.
A dental crown is shaped and tinted to blend in with your other teeth, and it provides extra strength to a tooth that’s been badly damaged by decay or trauma. Crowns are also used to add strength to the teeth that are used to support a dental bridge, and they’re routinely used to protect teeth treated with root canals, too.
Inlays and onlays are also restorations used to repair teeth damaged by decay or trauma. One of the major differences between inlays, onlays, and crowns is how much of the tooth they cover.
A crown covers the entire visible part of your tooth encircling it like a jacket, while inlays and onlays cover portions of the tooth. Specifically, inlays cover the part of the tooth contained within a molar’s cusps — the “pointy” parts of a molar. They’re similar to fillings, but they’re designed to bond more thoroughly and provide better protection over time.
Onlays cover the part inside the cusps and the cusps themselves, sometimes overlapping to the side of the tooth. In fact, an onlay can provide almost as much coverage as a crown in some cases. These restorations are used when fillings don’t provide sufficient protection and strength to a damaged tooth, but where a crown is not necessary.
Dr. Park is skilled in all sorts of restorations, including crowns, inlays, onlays, and fillings. That means he’s able to recommend the ideal application to restore your teeth, maintain your bite function, and help your smile look its best.
During your visit, Dr. Park evaluates your tooth through a visual and “hands-on” observation, using X-rays to determine the extent of decay or traumatic damage. Then he uses that information to recommend the right restoration based on your needs.
Inlays, onlays, crowns, and fillings all play vital roles in optimizing your oral health. To find out more about these and other treatments or to schedule a checkup, call the office today to request an appointment with Dr. Park and the team at Beaumont Cherry Valley Dental in Beaumont, California.
