When Dental
Excellence Matters

July 13, 2017

Cosmetic Dentistry Update on Crowns (Caps), Onlays and Inlays

Why Is This Important?  If You Have Damaged Teeth Or Cosmetic Issues And Would Like Attractive, Strong Teeth Then Read On.  Dentistry Has Had Some Major Advancements In A Very Short Period Of Time Especially In The Materials We Use To Restore Teeth.  Knowing About The Various Materials Will Enable You To Make More Informed Choices If You Need Any Of These Services.

Crowns, Or Caps As They Are Commonly Called, Cover The Whole Tooth. These Are Needed When A Tooth Has Considerable Damage Or Cosmetic Problems.  Crowns Can Be Made Of All Gold, Ceramic Over Metal Or All Ceramic.  Many Years Ago Researchers Developed A Process Where Ceramic Could Be Added Over Metal For A More Esthetic Look Than All Gold.  The Traditional Ceramic Over Metal Crown Can Be Very Beautiful.  Its Drawbacks Are That It Can Leave A Dark Area At Its Edges If Not Planned Well And The Ceramic Over The Metal Is Weak And Prone To Fracture.    There Is Also An All Ceramic Crown That Has Been Around For Many Years But It Is Very Weak And Subject To Fracture. To Summarize, Gold Is The Most Durable And Least Esthetic, Newer Ceramics Are The Next Most Durable And Can Be Very Esthetic, And The Older All Ceramics Are The Least Durable But Very Esthetic.

Onlays Are Partial Coverage Restorations That Allow The Dentist To Restore Only The Damaged Part Of The Tooth Leaving The Healthy Part Of The Tooth Undisturbed.  Onlays Are Great Options For Back (Posterior) Teeth That Are Damaged But Not Bad Enough To Need A Crown.  These Are Partial Coverage Restorations That Can Be Made In Gold Or Ceramic.  When Restoring Teeth It Is Important To Preserve As Much Heathy Tooth Structure As Possible Because Most Teeth That Are Restored Will Need To Be Restored Again Sometime In The Future.  It Is Possible To Make These Restorations Look So Much Like Natural Teeth That It Is Hard To Tell That The Tooth Has Been Restored.

Inlays Are Meant For Medium Sized Restorations Where Most Of The Tooth Is Intact.  Today, Inlays Are Less Commonly Needed Due To The Advancements In The Strength Of Both Bonding Adhesives And Tooth Colored Filling Materials, So I Will Not Discuss These In Any Depth At This Time. Historically, Crowns, Onlays And Inlays Were Made From All Gold For Strength.  It Is Rare, But Even Today There Are A Few Situations Where Maximum Strength, All Gold, Is Most Appropriate.  The Newest Generations Of All Ceramic Materials Are Much Stronger Than Previous All Ceramic And Ceramic Over Metal Materials.  There Are Two Main Types With One Being Extremely Strong But Less Esthetic (Zirconia) And The Other Being Very Strong And Very Esthetic (Lithium Disilicate).  These New Alternatives Give The Dentist And Patient More Choices When Deciding On The Right Combination Of Strength And Esthetics.

If Your Tooth Or Teeth Need To Be Restored Due To Damage Or Esthetic Problems You And Your Dentist Now Have Many Options To Consider To Attain The Right Combination Of Strength And Esthetics.

Happy Smiling!

Dr. Robert A. Gallegos Is A Fellow In The Academy Of General Dentistry, Visiting Faculty Of Spear Education, A Member The American Academy Of Dental Sleep Medicine, The American Academy Of Cosmetic Dentistry, And The American Dental Association.  Dr. Gallegos Practices Dentistry In Middleburg, VA.  Www.MiddleburgSmiles.Com.

Previous

no next post

back to home page
February is Children's Dental Health Month
February is Children's Dental Health Month
Dental Health with a Focus on Adults Over Age 60
Dental Health with a Focus on Adults Over Age 60
How Important Is Sleep and How Do I Know If I Get Good Sleep?
How Important Is Sleep and How Do I Know If I Get Good Sleep?
Cosmetic Dentistry Update on Crowns (Caps), Onlays and Inlays
Cosmetic Dentistry Update on Crowns (Caps), Onlays and Inlays
Airway Focused Dentistry
Airway Focused Dentistry
Halloween Candy Versus the Dentist
Halloween Candy Versus the Dentist
How Important is Your Regular Dental Hygiene Visit? Keeping Your Mouth Healthy Versus I Thought This Was Just a Buff and Shine Visit.
How Important is Your Regular Dental Hygiene Visit? Keeping Your Mouth Healthy Versus I Thought This Was Just a Buff and Shine Visit.
How Can Parents Recognize Breathing Disorders in Children?
How Can Parents Recognize Breathing Disorders in Children?
Health and Nutrition: What Should We Eat?
Health and Nutrition: What Should We Eat?
Pregnancy and Breathing
Pregnancy and Breathing
Do My Dental Fillings Need to be Replaced?
Do My Dental Fillings Need to be Replaced?
How Often Should I See My Dentist?
How Often Should I See My Dentist?
Healthcare from an Airway Perspective
Healthcare from an Airway Perspective
Preventative Dentistry - What can I do?
Preventative Dentistry - What can I do?
Dental Health with a Focus on Young Children and it is Halloween Candy Donation time again
Dental Health with a Focus on Young Children and it is Halloween Candy Donation time again
What You Should Know about Smoking and E-Cigarettes
What You Should Know about Smoking and E-Cigarettes
Who Should Wear Athletic Mouthguards?
Who Should Wear Athletic Mouthguards?
Children's Dental Health Month - Sleep Well for Health
Children's Dental Health Month - Sleep Well for Health
Tooth Replacement: What Are The Options?
Tooth Replacement: What Are The Options?
Understanding Upper Airway Resistance
Understanding Upper Airway Resistance
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding Gums
Comprehensive Dentistry
Comprehensive Dentistry
What is Sleep Hygiene and How Does it Impact My Health
What is Sleep Hygiene and How Does it Impact My Health
Dental Implants: What are They and are They the right choice?
Dental Implants: What are They and are They the right choice?
What are my Options for Whitening my Teeth?
What are my Options for Whitening my Teeth?
Answers to Five Commonly Asked Dental Questions
Answers to Five Commonly Asked Dental Questions
Dental Benefits, Use Them or Lose Them
Dental Benefits, Use Them or Lose Them
Some Toothpastes Can Harm Your Teeth
Some Toothpastes Can Harm Your Teeth
Dental Health Considerations of Tap Water and Bottled Water
Dental Health Considerations of Tap Water and Bottled Water
Seal out Tooth Decay for Children, Teens, and Adults
Seal out Tooth Decay for Children, Teens, and Adults
Children’s Dental Health Month, Baby Teeth are Important
Children’s Dental Health Month, Baby Teeth are Important
Should I Treat A Bite Discrepancy?
Should I Treat A Bite Discrepancy?
Should I Whiten My Teeth?
Should I Whiten My Teeth?
Smoking and Cancer
Smoking and Cancer
Orthodontics: An Attractive Smile and More
Orthodontics: An Attractive Smile and More
Oral-Systemic Link for Overall Health
Oral-Systemic Link for Overall Health
What are the Common Traits of a Beautiful Smile?
What are the Common Traits of a Beautiful Smile?
Dental Care Through the Decades of Life
Dental Care Through the Decades of Life
Dental Health Tips for Caregivers
Dental Health Tips for Caregivers
What do Misaligned Teeth, TMJ, Teeth Grinding, Sleep Apnea, and Snoring Have in Common?
What do Misaligned Teeth, TMJ, Teeth Grinding, Sleep Apnea, and Snoring Have in Common?