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Inlays and Onlays

You are probably already familiar with dental fillings and dental crowns. Perhaps you are not as familiar with another option for repairing severe decay—inlays and onlays. This is an in-between option for severe tooth decay that yet does not require the full coverage of a dental crown. 


Inlays and onlays are lab-manufactured restorations. That means that they are created in a dental lab and then sent back to our office for placement on your tooth. They are manufactured out of durable porcelain for a long life. 


Inlays and onlays can repair a larger area of your tooth than a filling can. If a filling gets too large, it weakens a tooth. Inlays and onlays, on the other hand, can actually strengthen your tooth. 

"Very nice, professional, calming and knowledgeable. I appreciate everything Dr. Seifi and her staff have done for me. The first day I came in, she was able to squeeze me into her schedule to start my urgently needed dental work.
Highly recommended."

-B. B.

The Difference Between Inlays and Onlays

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The difference between these two restorations is in how much area of the tooth is covered, and thereby repaired. To understand the difference, you need to understand how the chewing teeth are shaped. The higher points of the chewing surfaces of your back teeth are called cusps. An inlay covers some of the chewing surface between the cusps. It does not replace any of the cusps.


An onlay covers or replaces one or more cusps. An onlay can actually cover the entire chewing surface of an existing tooth, cusps and all. 


Inlays and onlays are manufactured out of durable materials that are highly compatible with your teeth. Metal fillings you may have had in the past would expand and contract when you drank or ate hot or cold foods. This expansion and contraction could cause a deterioration of the tooth tissue under and around the filling. This won’t happen with inlays and onlays. 


With every inlay or onlay we provide, we always take the beauty of your smile into consideration. These restorations should blend perfectly with each natural tooth in your smile. They should match the color and shape of other teeth. We are highly quality-conscious with every treatment we perform. We want to not only protect the health of your smile but also its appearance. 

Why Inlays and Onlays Are Sometimes Better Than a Dental Crown

Dental crowns are also used to repair a badly decayed tooth. Before a crown can be placed, the tooth will need to be reshaped. Enamel will be removed from all sides of a tooth and then a crown will be created to fit over this new shape. In fact, quite a bit of healthy enamel may need to be removed to allow a crown to be placed. 


Inlays and onlays can often be used instead of a crown, when the damage to a tooth is not quite so severe. With inlays and onlays, we can minimize the amount of enamel that is removed from your tooth. You could think of an inlay or onlay as a partial crown. 


When we help our patients make choices about their treatment, we will carefully explain their choices and the advantages or disadvantages of each. With inlays and onlays, we can often help our patients save money, as they are less expensive than crowns. Our treatment always starts with education so you can feel good about your choices and your treatment plan.

Creating Inlays and Onlays for Your Smile

As we are helping you decide about your care, we always maintain the highest standards in our choice of procedure and materials. We ensure that both our dentists and support staff continually advance their skills so you get the best care possible, whether you are receiving inlays and onlays or more intensive dental care. 


Once you and your dentist have covered your options and you are ready to receive an inlay or onlay, the severe decay will be cleaned out of your natural tooth. Then an impression will be taken of this tooth so that a trusted dental lab can prepare the restoration. A temporary restoration will be placed so that your tooth is covered until the permanent restoration comes back from the lab.


In one to two weeks, you will return to our office. We then ensure that you are completely happy with the color and shape of the restoration. Finally, we will bond the inlay or onlay onto your tooth. Bonding is a very quick process. After this process is complete, you should maintain regular dental visits so we can ensure your restoration lasts as long as possible. 

The Advantages of Inlays and Onlays

To summarize the advantages of inlays and onlays:

  • They are less expensive than dental crowns
  • They can repair relatively large areas of a natural tooth
  • Then do not require reshaping of the whole tooth
  • The material bonds well to tooth tissue
  • They will not expand and contract when hot and cold foods are consumed
  • They are less likely to develop decay under the inlay or onlay
  • They can last for decades with regular dental care at our office
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Your Care at StarBrite Dental in Rockville, MD

When you come to StarBrite Dental for care such as inlays and onlays, dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures or other care, you are coming to a dental practice with a strong emphasis on excellence of quality. Our standards of training, treatment, disinfection, and customer service and friendliness are always the highest. We want our patients to feel well cared-for from the time they arrive until the moment they leave.


We also want to provide the best, healthiest and most beautiful smile possible for you and your whole family. If you are going online and searching for “inlays and onlays near me,” we are ready to offer this care. 


Our dental office is located on Hubbard Drive, just off Rockville Pike in Rockville. Please contact us if you have questions about your dental health or you are looking for a new dentist. We are happy to provide the education you need to make your choice. Call (301) 770-1070 to talk to one of our caring and competent staff or to schedule your first appointment. We offer a wide range of dental care, including general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and emergency care. 

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*We DO NOT ACCEPT HMO Insurance, State Insurance, Medicaid/Medicare, or discount plans. Fees apply for services. 

Evening and Weekend Hours Available

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
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Wed, Fri
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Thursday
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Saturday
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Sunday
Closed

Office (301) 770-1070

Fax (301) 770-0544

New Patient 24hr Emergency Line:

(301) 377-2186

Existing Patient 24hr Emergency Line:

(240) 832-1606

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