Porcelain Inlays, Onlays, Veneers, Crowns & Bridges

Decayed or chipped teeth can often be repaired with white composite fillings that look natural, however if the damage is too substantial, particularly on the back teeth, then an inlay or onlay would be recommended. Inlays or onlays can be made from a number of strong materials such as metals or ceramics.

An inlay is a small filling that fits into the biting surface of a tooth. An onlay covers a larger area of the tooth and is better suited to bigger cavities. Gold was traditionally used for these types of restorations. However, in recent times hard-wearing tooth-coloured porcelain has become a more popular choice of material. This is a more aesthetic way to restore and strengthen the teeth and creates a more natural-looking smile.

Here is how they work:

1. After an impression is made of your tooth, the inlay or onlay will be made in a dental laboratory by a technician.
2. While these are being made, you will wear a temporary filling.
3. When your inlay or onlay is ready we will bond it into place using a special adhesive, after removing the temporary filling. Your restored tooth will not only look like a real tooth but also function like one, allowing you to bite, chew and eat without any discomfort.

If a large piece of tooth has broken away or when the natural tooth is very decayed a crown, or ‘cap’, can be the best long term option to be strengthen and improve the appearance of teeth. Crowns are tooth-shaped caps that fit over the top of your teeth and can be made from metal, porcelain or composite material. Porcelain crowns are the most realistic-looking and offer exceptional aesthetics.

A composite filling material will be used to give your tooth added strength before the crown is placed on top. An impression, or digital scan, is taken of your affected tooth and the corresponding tooth that bites down on it for your crown to be made. Your dentist may fit you with a temporary crown whilst your permanent crown is being made, which typically takes up to two weeks. Once the custom made crown is ready it is permanently placed over the tooth, maximising strength and aesthetics.

In instances where people have several weak teeth with big fillings either side of a missing tooth and dental bridge can be a great option to strengthen, brighten and replace missing teeth. If you require a more extensive restoration than a crown or have more than one tooth that needs to be repaired, a good solution is a bridge.

Here is how they work:

1. Bridges are usually made of a precious metal base with tooth colored porcelain covering, which gives them a solid structure and makes them hard-wearing. If you need a bridge in your smile line, porcelain is usually added to the base to make it look more like real teeth.
2. A bridge helps to strengthen the prepared teeth and makes chewing and eating easier because they are fixed and can’t come out.
3. Some bridges can also be fixed to your jaw with dental implants, if you have several teeth next to each other that are missing.

Once you have a bridge fitted, you will have to take extra care during your daily hygiene regime to ensure it stays plaque free and does not cause bad breath.