You have been postponing your dentist visit for weeks, and now that you are at The chair, he casually mentions the words: Inlay and Onlay. And suddenly you forgot everything you knew about dental treatments and you are just as shocked as when you learned that actors don’t actually live inside the TV screen. Don’t worry my Dear friend, today I invite you into our  little world and perhaps share some of our secrets .

  I am certain , your first thought was , why is my dentist suggesting these new treatments?  isn’t the usual  filling enough? I should have come earlier for a check up.

  Well, frequent check ups with your dentist are always a bonus, but better late than never. I know the words Inlays and Onlays may seem foreign to most patients, but to simplify it, both the terms describe procedures that are similar to your standard dental filling function. Dental filling, Inlays, Onlays are used to restore a tooth’s integrity and function following damage. The difference being that , whereas a standard filling is applied directly into/onto your tooth and hardens in your mouth, INLAYS and ONLAYS are custom-made in the laboratory and then cemented in place. 

Let’s put it  this way, fillings are used to fill minor cavities, on the other hand,crowns are used when there is a considerable fracture that needs to be covered up. Yet, there are always scenarios when a crown is too much to cover up tooth decay and filling is too small in the same way.  When a patient’s case  requires something  just right to cover those gaps, Our doctors will propose INLAYS or  ONLAYS as Solution; since they are more sizable than fillings , yet less intrusive than crowns. So what is the difference between INLAYS and ONLAYS.

   The two treatments begin the same way,you start with  a consultation with our doctors. Afterward, depending on the severity and the damage caused by the decay Dr.Haydar and Dr.Seden will propose either INLAY or ONLAY. The difference between INLAYS and ONLAYS is that an inlay is placed inside the cavity on your tooth while an onlay replaces the CUSP or the CUSPS of your teeth.

Put differently , Dental inlays are fitted and molded in the chewing area of your tooth that has been damaged through injury or decay.On the other hand, onlays are used for damage and deterioration to the cusps or the tips of your teeth as well as the biting surface.

  Now I will get to the actual procedure  of INLAYS and ONLAYS, during the first session our doctors will start with cleaning the decay part of the tooth, then taking an impression of the tooth and surrounding teeth. Since INLAYS and ONLAYS are made in the lab, our doctors will fill the tooth with a temporary filling material to avoid sensitivity or any complication. During the second visit, the temporary filling is removed and the INLAYS or ONLAYS are attached to the tooth using a special adhesive.

 So what are the benefits and the downsides to these treatments? 

The two obvious cons to INLAYS and ONLAYS are cost and multiple visits. The cost of these treatments is  a bit higher than the standard filling. The amount of work and expertise needed to perform translates to the final cost, when considering dental Onlays and Inlays, it is crucial to work with a qualified dentist and select a product that is right for your dental health needs. Here at Aksu Clinic we  propose the following materials (  ınsert here). So you can pick and choose what suits you best. The second downside is  both treatments require two visits as explained.

   Yet, on the other hand, the benefits of INLAYS and ONLAYS outweigh the cons. The treatments allow natural tooth preservation as they are less aggressive than crowns. It provides stability as it is a true size and it won’t decay like the standard filling. And ultimately , the color is customizable and this allows our doctors to offer you a virtually invisible dental restoration.

 Finally my dear old friend, if you would like to learn about the other treatment our clinic proposes , you can always contact us . At Aksu  Clinic we aim to empower all our patients to understand what goes into dental care.