My dentist said I need a crown. Is there anything less drastic?

Sometimes, and it is worth a second look. If enough healthy tooth remains, an onlay does the job while keeping more of your tooth. Bring your x-rays and Dr. Bodie will tell you honestly.

Is an inlay or onlay going to take two visits?

No. We design and mill it in our office, so it is prepared and fitted the same day with no temporary in between.

Are inlays and onlays visible?

No, not usually. They are typically placed in back teeth, and the porcelain is shaded to your tooth. It is bonded in as a single piece and polished flush so it should be relatively invisible.

Is porcelain strong enough to use on a molar?

Yes, and that is exactly what it is for. A single milled piece of porcelain bonded into the tooth handles chewing force better than a large layered filling does.

Does insurance treat inlays and onlays like a filling or a crown?

It varies by plan, which is why we check your specific benefits before you commit rather than assuming. You will know the balance in advance.

Inlays & Onlays in Nyack, NY

Between a filling and a crown, and often the right answer

Inlays and onlays are custom porcelain repairs bonded into a back tooth, sitting between a large filling and a full crown. At our Nyack dental office inlays and onlays are designed from a digital scan and milled in the office, so they are fitted the same day and preserve more of your natural tooth than a crown does.

The difference between a filling, inlays and onlays

An inlay sits within the cusps of a back tooth, filling the hollow. An onlay extends over one or more of the cusps as well, rebuilding the biting surface. Both are made as a single piece of porcelain and bonded in, which is what makes them stronger than a large direct filling in a tooth that takes heavy force.

The goal is to keep as much natural tooth as possible

A crown requires reducing the whole tooth all the way around. An inlay or onlay replaces only what is missing, so more of your own tooth survives. Since the strength of any restored tooth ultimately depends on how much healthy tooth is underneath it, that is not a small point. Dr. Bodie will recommend the more conservative option when it will genuinely do the job.

Milled in our office, fitted today

Because they are designed on screen from a digital scan and milled in the office on the same unit that makes our crowns, there is no laboratory wait and no temporary. Patients from Piermont who came to our Nyack dental office expecting two trips are frequently finished in one.

How much does an inlay or onlay cost in Nyack, NY?

Inlays and onlays at our Nyack dental office are quoted between the cost of a filling and the $1,800 cost of a crown, depending on how much of the tooth is being rebuilt. Your quote comes before treatment starts, we check any insurance contribution first, and Affirm and HFD can spread it.

What is a dental inlay or onlay?

An inlay is a custom-made porcelain restoration bonded into the hollow of a back tooth. An onlay does the same but also rebuilds one or more of the biting cusps. Both are made as a single solid piece rather than built up in layers in the mouth.

Does getting an inlay or onlay hurt?

Getting an inlay or onlay involves minimal discomfort, because the tooth is numbed with local anesthetic first. There is no second appointment and no temporary restoration, which removes the part patients usually find most irritating.

How long do inlays and onlays last?

Bonded porcelain inlays and onlays commonly last well over a decade. Because they are a single piece of porcelain rather than a layered filling, they hold up better in teeth that take heavy chewing force.

How many appointments does an inlay take?

One. The tooth is prepared and scanned, the restoration is designed and milled in the office while you wait or take a walk, and it is bonded the same day.

Should I have an onlay or a crown?

Whether you should have an onlay or a crown depends on how much healthy tooth is left. If enough remains, an onlay is the better choice because it keeps more of your own tooth. Once too little is left to support one, a crown is the honest answer, and Dr. Bodie will show you on screen which applies.

Inlays and Onlays in Nyack, NY