Inlays & Onlays

Inlays and Onlays are recommended when your teeth are too damaged to support a traditional filling but not damaged enough to require a dental crown.

They are often used in place of a traditional dental filling to treat tooth decay or similar structural damage as they are stronger and support the natural tooth structure more effectively than a large filling. They are clinically proven to be the best way to restore damaged teeth.

An inlay, which is visually identical to a filling, but much harder and longer lasting- is placed instead of a conventional filling. An onlay is a larger, more substantial restoration, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth. Current generation tooth coloured Emax or Feldspathic porcelain inlays and onlays can look and feel like real teeth. Inlays and onlays extend the lifespan of heavily filled (restored) teeth. They are the most superior method of tooth restoration. Studies have shown that inlays and onlays are the closest approximation to uncut/undamaged teeth.

The photo below shows an solid porcelain block on the left, and a milled tooth onlay (not quite finished) on the right. The onlay is removed from the solid porcelain block and bonded to your tooth.

Cerec Inlays & Onlays

Classic Smiles has ground breaking Cerec technology whereby Emax and feldspathic porcelain inlays and onlays can be made for you on the same day, usually within the hour.

With porcelain inlays and onlays, our current practice is to prefer the use of the newest E-max technology. IPS E-max is a layering ceramic that gives beautiful natural opalescence toinlays and onlays. It provides lifelike highly aesthetic results with true to nature light scattering and a balanced relationship between light and chroma. Wear and gloss characteristics are similar to the more traditional feldspathic inlays and onlays, however the strength of E-max enables us to give you a 5 year guarantee. Emax takes a little longer and costs more, but the results are far superior.

Cerec CAD CAM, Emax and Zirconia

Don’t know if you need inlays or onlays for your teeth? Contact our cosmetic dentist in Sydney for a free consultation.