Crowns and Onlays at Sunningdale Dental Practice

Restoring your smile back to health.

What techniques can be used to restore damaged teeth?

Crowns, inlays and onlays are highly effective restorative treatments on offer at Sunningdale Dental Practice. These treatments allow patients to restore their teeth back to health effectively, avoiding extractions whenever possible.

Crowns, inlays and onlays are often chosen where fillings are not appropriate and where the cavity caused by decay or damage is too large. Your dentist will choose the most appropriate type of treatment for the badly broken down tooth, taking into account factors such as strength and longevity as well as the aesthetics of your smile.

What is a dental crown?

Dental crowns may sometimes be described as ‘caps’, have been an important part of general and restorative dentistry for a long time. Crowns are not a replacement for the entire tooth and instead they are placed on top of a natural tooth that is rooted to increase strength, aesthetic appeal and to maintain a healthy bite and function. You might need a crown for several reasons, including where decay has caused a hole too big for a filling to be effective, where the tooth has broken, or to complete a root canal or dental implant procedure.

What is the treatment procedure for a dental crown, inlay or onlay?

For a crown to be placed a tooth has to be prepared first, which involves filing it to create the correct height and shape for a secure and comfortable fit. After preparation, a temporary crown is often fitted whilst a permanent crown is made in the laboratory. During a second appointment, the permanent custom-made crown is fitted using a strong dental adhesive. The crown is designed and manufactured to fit all the way down to the gum line, fitting in beautifully with your natural teeth and helping to create a great looking smile! The procedure is the same when constructing an inlay or onlay.

What are onlays & inlays?

Onlays are used when the cavity in a tooth is too big for a filling, but the structure of the tooth is still intact. So, we may well opt to use an onlay to fill the gap rather than file the tooth down to accept a crown. Inlays typically fill a large gap in the tooth, whereas onlays will sit on the top, forming the replacement tooth cusp, covering the biting surface of the tooth.

Most forms of tooth restorations like crowns, inlays and onlays can be constructed from a wide variety of materials, including tooth coloured materials like ceramic and composite, or non-tooth coloured materials like non-precious or precious metal including gold if preferred. Your dentist will discuss with you which type will be most beneficial to restore your tooth’s integrity and function.

At our practice we use modern adhesive technology to bond in white cosmetic crowns, onlays and inlays helping to blend the restoration with the natural tooth.

Whatever your dental requirements, the team at Sunningdale Dental Practice are equipped to help. Please call our reception team on 01344 620526 to book your appointment.