Partial Crowns: Inlays and Onlays

Bensalem Family Dentistry offers a variety of services meant to improve patients’ comfort, bite function, and smile. Some of these include replacing teeth with prosthetics such as implants and dentures or carrying out root canals on teeth which are severely decayed. But sometimes, the problem with a molar or premolar is simply that there is a chip or decay on the chewing surface. In these cases, we may use a partial crown, such as an inlay or an onlay.

Inlays are nestled in between the pointy cusps on the chewing teeth. Onlays replace the cusps as well as the indentations. If the tooth’s surface was damaged by periodontal disease, Dr. Eisenbrock will remove the decay while the patient is numb. Afterward, he will make an impression of the patient’s mouth, and send it to a laboratory where a custom-fitted partial crown will be manufactured. It may take about two weeks for the completed crown to be milled and returned, but once it is, it can be cemented in place during a return visit.

Usually, partial crowns are made with porcelain and match the patient’s tooth color, but there are other options. Regardless of the inlay or onlay’s construction material, patients will need to care for it with brushing, flossing, and mouthwash, just as they would for a natural tooth. If they do, it could last for decades.

Dr. Michael Eisenbrock runs Bensalem Family Dentistry at 3554 Hulmeville Road, Suite 111, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 19020. To schedule an appointment, call 215-874-4042 or visit BensalemDentistry.com and fill out a contact sheet.