Onlays – The Dental Restoration You May Have Never Heard About

When it comes to dental restorations, there are several common options you have likely heard about or had put in place by your dentist. Dental fillings, crowns, and bonding are common dental restorations you have likely heard of. However, do you know what a dental onlay is? Probably, you do not, as it is not as well-known as other restorative treatments.

A dental onlay offered “near me” by Dr. Balaji Srinivasan at Aesthetic Dental Creations in Jackson, New Jersey, could be more effective for oral health than a filling or crown. Let’s look at what a dental onlay is and what it can be used for.

What Is a Dental Onlay?

When it comes to your oral health, there are many ways it can be compromised. Tooth decay and physical damage (chips, cracks, or fractures) are a couple of reasons you may feel pain or develop an infection. When you visit your local dentist, your oral health will be evaluated for any developing oral health issues, of which cavities are the most common. When dental decay is allowed to reach deep into the tooth, the tooth can begin to deteriorate. Decay is often the result of poor oral hygiene, but there are other reasons an infection of a tooth can occur.

An onlay can be used similarly to a dental filling or crown. It is pre-molded to the outside of your tooth and crafted in an offsite lab. The onlay will fit the inside and outside portion of a tooth over the cusps and bonded into place using dental cement, cured using a special light to harden it. It effectively covers the damaged surface of the tooth in a more conservative manner than a dental crown. 

Onlays come in a variety of materials, but the most common is ceramic or porcelain.

If you are ready to learn more about dental onlays and how they can be used to preserve your oral health, please call Aesthetic Dental Creations today at (732) 451-3570 for an appointment.