Our Treatments
Inlays, Onlays and Crowns
What are Inlays, Onlays and Crowns?
Inlays, Onlays and Crowns are examples of indirect restorations. These are made in the lab from non-precious or semi-precious metal alloys, composite material or ceramics such as porcelain, zirconia or lithium disilicate (E-max).and are then cemented onto the tooth, unlike fillings that are placed directly into the tooth cavity. They are stronger than direct filling materials and are used where a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost..
Onlays differ from Inlays in that they extend to cover some or all of the grinding cusps of the teeth. They therefore have a bracing effect in directing forces down the root of the tooth during chewing, reducing the risk of tooth fracture. For this reason, they are used in situations where forces are greater, or where the tooth is weakened (eg root-treated teeth)
Crowns are like helmets that sit over the teeth. They are needed in situations where a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost and are used to brace and strengthen teeth so that they don’t break when chewing.
Crowns, Onlays and Inlays have a high long-term success rate. Gold crowns, as one of the older available materials, have been shown to have about 90% success at 20 years, whilst there is now good research data coming through for Inlays and Onlays showing a 90% 10 year success rate.
On average, expect a Crown, Inlay or Onlay to last at least 10-20 years on average.