At Two Rivers Dentistry, we like to provide you with options when it comes to restoring your smile. Depending on the amount and location of the damage to your tooth, our dentist may suggest an appointment to discuss dental inlays and onlays in Vancouver, Washington. Call 360-256-1202 today to meet with Dr. Vaughn Teuscher and see if one of these options would be a good fit for you.
When you have a cavity that our dentist cannot successfully fill in the traditional manner, he may advise you to get an inlay or an onlay. These restorative dentistry procedures are also ideal to cover extensive decay that make your tooth or teeth look darker than the rest. Inlays and onlays can be an alternative to dental crowns or a good option to put in place of old metal fillings that you no longer wish to have. Even so, many people have never heard of inlays and onlays, or they confuse the two.
The Major Difference Between Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays are used in different types of dental work, although they both help to preserve your natural teeth in spite of decay. If our dentist and team advise you to get an inlay, it means that you have significant decay or a diagnosed cavity on one of the cusps of a single tooth. Cusps are the bumps you feel on your tooth when you run your tongue over it. If you have cavities or decay on the cusps of two or more teeth, an onlay is the right choice.
How You Go About Receiving an Inlay or Onlay
Regardless of which type of restoration you need, you should plan to visit Two Rivers Dentistry for two separate appointments. For your first visit, Dr. Teuscher will inspect the tooth or teeth to receive treatment in addition to your other teeth. We will need to make sure that your affected teeth are strong enough to attach the inlay or onlay and that your non-treated teeth are healthy as well. You will have an impression of your tooth or teeth taken before leaving the first appointment.
Someone from our office will contact you when your customized inlay or onlay comes back from our dental laboratory. You then come in for your second appointment to have it affixed to the cusp of the tooth or teeth with cavities or decay. Like our other dental restorations, we can provide you with a temporary inlay or onlay while you wait for the laboratory to complete your permanent one.
Inlays and onlays can last for a lifetime if you take proper care of them. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, using an antiseptic mouthwash and coming in for your bi-annual preventive care exams. Inlays and onlays do an excellent job of keeping bacteria from causing further damage to your teeth because our dentist will make sure that they are an identical match to the shape of your teeth. Please contact us to find out if you are a good candidate for inlays or onlays.