Inlays and Onlays in Lawrenceville, NJ

By how much of the tooth is damaged and which walls and cusps are still strong. The smallest repair that will hold comes first.

Sometimes. Back teeth after a root canal often need a crown for full protection, but an onlay can work when enough tooth remains.

When a filling would be so large it leaves thin walls that can crack. A bonded inlay or onlay supports those walls instead, so you keep the tooth.

Gold was the traditional standard and composite resin is also used, but gold shows and composite wears, so all-ceramic, which matches the tooth, is the usual choice today.

Someone with a back tooth that has a large cavity, a broken or worn cusp, or an old filling that needs replacing, when the tooth is still strong enough not to need a crown. Healthy gums and enough sound tooth to bond to come first.

Yes. Dark metal fillings can be replaced with tooth-colored inlays or onlays that match the tooth, so the repair no longer shows when you smile or laugh.

Coverage. An inlay fits inside the cusps, the raised points on a back tooth’s chewing surface. An onlay extends over one or more cusps to protect them, which is why it’s also called a partial crown or half-crown.

When a cavity or old filling is too large for a filling to hold, but the tooth is still strong enough not to need a crown. The inlay or onlay is fitted to the tooth and bonded in place.

It can protect a weakened cusp by covering it. A deeper crack may need a crown, and Dr. Godko checks which before recommending.

All-ceramic, matched to the color of your tooth, so it blends in instead of showing metal.

One, after your consultation. Traditionally an inlay or onlay took two visits: the tooth was prepared and an impression sent to a lab, with a temporary sealant until the piece came back to be bonded. At Deluxe, the whole procedure is completed in that one visit.

The tooth is numbed, the decay or old filling is removed and the tooth is shaped. The all-ceramic inlay or onlay is then fitted, checked against your bite, bonded to the tooth and polished smooth. Sedation is available if you’re anxious.

Because they’re made to fit the tooth and then bonded in as one solid piece, instead of being placed soft and hardened inside the tooth like a direct filling.

Some mild sensitivity to hot or cold for a few days is common while the tooth settles. If your bite feels high or the sensitivity lasts, both offices are ready to immediately assist with any concerns.

Yes. Once it’s bonded, you chew as usual. Avoid ice and very hard foods, the same as with natural teeth.

Ceramic doesn’t whiten, so whiten first if you plan to, and the inlay is matched to your new shade.

All-ceramic resists stains well and holds its shade.

A custom night guard protects inlays, onlays and natural teeth while you sleep.

Rarely. If one feels loose or rough, or comes out, keep it: both offices are ready to immediately assist, a lost filling or crown is seen as an emergency, and the piece can often be rebonded.

Yes. All-ceramic is shade-matched to the tooth and the teeth beside it.

That depends on your bite and how you care for it. Daily brushing and flossing, a night guard if you grind, and regular checkups, where Dr. Godko checks its edges and your bite, keep it in service, and if one ever wears or chips it can be replaced.

Brush twice a day, floss daily and keep your checkups and cleanings, the same routine that protects your natural teeth.

With an in-house membership plan, one yearly fee pays for your cleanings, exams and x-rays and saves you money on other treatment. Or pay over time with 0% financing through Cherry. Many patients qualify for 0% interest plans if paid on time.

It’s a solid all-ceramic piece fitted to the tooth and bonded in, rather than a soft material placed and hardened, so it takes more material and time.

Yes: book online anytime at www.deluxedentistry.com/schedule-appointment. You can also call (609) 400-1393 or (609) 303-2005 during office hours.

No referral is needed. Book a personalized consultation at either office, and Dr. Godko examines the tooth and goes over the plan with you before any work begins.