Dental onlays are used when your tooth is too damaged for a filling but is not at the point of needing a crown. Onlays are used to cover one or more cusps on the tooth’s biting surface and are commonly referred to as partial crowns. Onlays are considered a cusp-covering fabricated in a laboratory made of gold, titanium, composite resin, or ceramic. Two dental appointments will need to be made for the finished onlay to be installed.

Your first appointment will allow the dentist to clean the tooth by removing any decay. An impression will then be taken of the tooth’s structure and will be used by a laboratory to create your custom onlay. A temporary filling will be placed and will be removed once your onlay is ready for installation. Your second appointment will consist of your temporary filling being removed and the permanent onlay being secured to your tooth permanently using dental cement.

Dental onlays can last on average for 30 years when taken care of properly. Twice daily brushing and flossing are very important in helping to extend the life of your dental work. Regular visits to the dentist are also important so they can check your onlay for signs of wear and tear. Aside from how long they can last, dental onlays have other benefits as well:

• Onlays only cover the affected biting surface area of a tooth, and therefore only a small percentage of your tooth will need to be sanded down to allow room for the onlay.
• They help strengthen the tooth by upwards of 75% and help to prevent further dental treatment prolonging the life of the tooth.

Whether you need a dental onlay, or different procedures, it is important to never ignore an aching tooth. By contacting your dentist at the earliest sign or persistent tooth pain you will greatly reduce your chances of needing costly dental work done.