Onlays
You’ve come to our office for your cleaning and examination appointment, where we’ve gathered all the information we need for Dr. Slepchik to prepare your specific dental treatment plan. We must also consider how we get to the final result when choosing what treatment to do. When we see teeth that has cuspal breakdown, there are 2 options: a crown or an onlay. Your cusps are the main contribution to chewing; if they are broken down or weakened, they must be reinforced and strengthened.
We could describe a dental onlay as a type of filling for a damaged tooth. However, this type of restoration is in a class of its own because it is not placed directly in a cavity like a standard filling. Onlays are custom-made restorations that are carved out of ceramic or porcelain material to fit over one or more cusps of a tooth. The cusps are the high points that are situated at each corner of a tooth. It is important to preserve or restore cusps because they play an integral role in chewing. Onlays are made in our dental lab using impressions from the damaged tooth and are bonded to the tooth in the next visit.
What Are The Benefits Of Dental Onlays?
When Are Dental Onlays Recommended?
What Are Onlays Made Of?
The Dental Onlay Procedure
To prep the tooth for its new restoration, the minor reduction will be performed using the Wand and Dental Vibe as anesthetic. Reduction only removes the part of the tooth that has been damaged. An impression is then taken with Itero, our computerized impression system that links directly to our lab. This will be used to create a model of the tooth that will serve as a guide for the new onlay. A temporary restoration is placed over the tooth and all models and specifications are sent to our dental lab.
A second visit is needed to bond your onlay to the tooth. After removing the temporary and any dental cement that has adhered to the tooth, the onlay is set into place. A few assessments are conducted to ensure the onlay is well-situated on the tooth and also that it fits naturally against the opposing tooth when you bite down. Once all aspects of the onlay are satisfactory, a bonding material is applied and hardened with a high-intensity light.
Large worn composite restorations on last Molars.
Best treatment chosen: Porcelain Onlays restorations. Photo of temporaries in place. Used while the porcelain is fabricated in the Laboratory.
Porcelain onlays in place
Another view of final work.
Before & After Dental Onlays
What’s The Difference Between Dental Onlays and Dental Crowns?
The primary difference between an onlay and a dental crown is that one fits onto the top and side part of a tooth and the other covers the tooth completely. Crowns used to be considered the gold standard when extensive restoration was necessary. However, now, more dentists and their patients are choosing onlays. The reason is that onlay treatment is a more conservative approach than a dental crown. To place a crown, it is necessary to remove a large portion of natural tooth structure. An onlay only requires that the damaged enamel be removed.
Fitted over only the upper aspect of the tooth, an onlay is bonded into place. The bonding process creates tight margins that cannot be penetrated by bacteria. There is no soft tissue around the onlay as there is around the gumline margins of a crown. Because gum tissue may become inflamed and recede away from the crown, there is a slight risk of infection at some point.
Both crowns and onlays look just exactly like a natural tooth. Both have a comparable life span.
How Long Do Onlays last?
A dental onlay can last 10 to 15 years or more. The lifetime of an onlay may be affected by many factors; such as the location of the restoration in the mouth and how you take care of your mouth at home. Do you keep your cleaning appointments with your hygienist according to your specific dental regimen after treatment? All these factors play a role in how long any dental procedure will last.
What Do dental onlays look Like?
Once an onlay is in place, it will look like your natural teeth. Dr. Slepchik will take into account the colour, size, shape etc of the surrounding teeth to make sure it matches.
Onlays are a strong and stable option for minimal tooth reconstruction. Regular daily brushing and flossing, as well as your dental examination and cleaning appointments must be continued after the procedure is complete.
Alternatives To Dental Onlays
Patients may consider a dental filling or dental crown as an alternative to an onlay. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Fillings may repair teeth in a single visit. However, the application technique is generally not as durable and long-lasting as an onlay. A dental crown can provide substantial coverage for a tooth but requires more enamel reduction than is necessary with an onlay. During your visit, we are happy to discuss all appropriate treatment options based on the damage your tooth has sustained.
Are There Risks to Getting Dental Onlays?
Can I Eat Normally with Dental Onlays?
Are Dental Onlays Right for Me?
A dental onlay is a good treatment option for repair that falls in between a filling and a crown. To receive a crown would require that a fair amount of the tooth be reduced. This is necessary to allow the crown to fit over the tooth to the gumline. A dental onlay provides just the right amount of repair to fortify the tooth for normal chewing without unnecessary reduction.
How Do Onlays Differ from Inlays?
Is the Procedure Painful?
What Is the Long-Term Outcome for Most People?
Dental porcelain is extremely strong and durable for many years. Studies estimate that between 71 and 98 percent of porcelain onlays remain functional for 5 or more years. The primary reasons for failure include cavities around the onlay and debonding. With good oral care, a porcelain onlay can last well over 15 years.
Schedule A Consultation
To learn more about Dental Onlays or to schedule a consultation, call Dr. Lenny Slepchik’s downtown Montreal office at 514-875-7971, email us at [email protected], or click here to send us a contact form. We are located in Downtown Montreal, next to the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel across from Place Ville Marie. Metro Mc Gill or Metro Bonaventure.