East Cobb Porcelain Onlays

Porcelain onlays are a healthy and beautiful way to restore teeth that have extensive damage or decay. In East Cobb, the dentists at Cheek Dental provide onlays that blend with your teeth and look natural.

What Are Porcelain Onlays?

Photo of a single porcelain onlay that covers three molar cusps. These restorations are available in East Cobb from Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Porcelain onlay

A porcelain onlay is a custom-made restoration for damage that affects at least one cusp, or peak, in the chewing surface of a tooth. An onlay covers the damaged portions of a tooth and preserves more of your natural tooth structure than a porcelain crown.

When Are They Used?

  • Tooth decay or damage is too extensive for a dental filling
  • A tooth cusp is broken
  • Conservative restoration of a tooth that doesn’t require a dental crown to protect it
  • A patient wants a restoration that looks even more natural than composite fillings

What’s the Process?

Unlike traditional dental fillings, only an experienced cosmetic dentist can produce beautiful results with porcelain onlays. Our dentists’ advanced training in cosmetic dentistry and occlusion, along with their artistic inclination, will ensure you receive natural-looking results and proper fit for a well-aligned bite. They complete the following steps:

  • Remove decay or weak areas from your tooth
  • Take a digital impression of the tooth
  • Send the impression to a ceramist who will use it to make a custom onlay
  • Place the restoration on your tooth and ensure it fits well
  • Bond the onlay to your tooth

Below are photos of amalgam-filled cavities that were replaced with porcelain onlays.

Photo of a partial arch of lower teeth with old amalgam fillings. This before photo shows how porcelain onlays can improve teeth, from the office of East Cobb dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

BEFORE – AMALGAM FILLINGS

After photo of partial bottom arch of teeth that had amalgam fillings that were replaced with porcelain onlays. This information is provided for East Cobb dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

AFTER – PORCELAIN ONLAYS

Advantages of Porcelain Onlays

  • More of your natural tooth structure is preserved than with a crown, which requires your tooth to be shaved down for proper fit.
  • Unlike crowns, they don’t touch your gumline, which can sometimes cause irritation.
  • They are very stable, strengthen your teeth, and last longer than fillings.
  • Onlays are tightly sealed to protect your teeth from bacteria and decay.
  • Porcelain mimics the color and translucency of natural teeth. The results are beautiful.

If you’re interested in tooth restoration with porcelain onlays, call us to schedule an appointment, or request an appointment online.