Services
Inlays and onlays
An inlay fills the hole in a tooth. An onlay also covers one or more of the tooth's chewing points. Both are made outside the mouth and bonded in.
They fit when a cavity or an old filling is too wide to repair with a filling, but the walls of the tooth are still sound enough to keep. The piece is made to match the space, in ceramic, resin or gold, and Dr. Xiao explains which material suits your tooth and how each looks.
What happens
An inlay or onlay is usually two visits. Dr. Xiao tells you how far apart for your tooth.
- 01
Step 1: Exam and options
She shows you the tooth and explains why an inlay or onlay may fit, and what else could.
- 02
Step 2: Prepare the tooth
She numbs the tooth, removes the decay or the old filling, shapes the space and takes a scan or an impression. A temporary goes in.
- 03
Step 3: The piece is made
It is made from the scan or impression. Ask Dr. Xiao where yours is made and how long to expect.
- 04
Step 4: Fit and bond
She removes the temporary, checks the fit and your bite, and bonds the piece in place.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
We numb the area before we start. If you feel anything, tell us and we stop and numb more. You can ask for a break at any time. The second visit is usually quicker.
If you wait
A tooth with a wide cavity or an old, leaking filling can crack further. If a chewing point breaks, a crown may be the repair that fits instead. Dr. Xiao tells you what she sees.
Risks and aftercare
Expect some sensitivity for a few days. Call us if the temporary comes loose rather than leaving the tooth open. A bonded piece can chip or come loose, and if it does we tell you what that means for the tooth.
How it is billed
An inlay or onlay is billed as its own procedure, and plans treat it differently, so the estimate says what we expect and your plan decides what it pays. You get a written estimate before we start. The fees page explains insurance, receipts and paying yourself.
How fees work
Questions about inlays and onlays
Inlay or filling: how do I choose?
Dr. Xiao looks at the width of the damage and at the walls of the tooth. A small cavity usually suits a filling; a wider one with sound walls may suit an inlay or onlay.
What is an inlay made of?
Commonly ceramic, resin or gold. She explains what each involves, how it looks and what it means for the tooth next to it.
What happens between the two visits?
You wear a temporary. Avoid sticky food on that side and call us if the temporary comes off.
Provided by a general dentist
Dr. Lin Xiao, DDS, general dentist, licensed in West Virginia. She looks at the tooth, explains the options and gives you the estimate in writing.