Tooth Decay and Treatment through Inlays and Onlays

Tooth decay is the most common dental problem experienced by people today. This problem may affect people of all ages, and may be difficult to detect. Without a person knowing it, one or more of his or her teeth may already be infested with cavity-causing bacteria that irritate the dentine or the tooth’s inner tissue.

Tooth decay occurs when the fluoride that naturally coats the teeth starts depleting and is not sustained. Fluoride acts as a protective element against bacteria that result from food particles left in between teeth. These bacteria produce harmful enzymes that can corrode a tooth’s protective layers, until the tooth is completely affected. The decay is not noticeable at first, because the first layer it attacks is the tooth enamel. It only starts to hurt when the inner layers are affected as well.

Tooth decay leaves an unsightly appearance and a foul smell on teeth. Most dentists resort to tooth extraction if the condition of the decay is severe and the damage is not reparable. However, mild cases can still be treated by restorative methods of cosmetic dentistry. Many cosmetic dentists perform restorative methods for different dental problems in well-developed cities like Los Angeles, California.

Inlays and onlays are restorative methods used in cosmetic dentistry Los Angeles that focus on restoring the tooth portion affected by bacteria, while protecting the teeth from other unwanted elements. The gaps created by the decay can be filled with either gold or porcelain, depending on the position of teeth. Gold is more preferable for unexposed teeth, while porcelain is used if the purpose of the procedure is to restore the teeth’s aesthetic quality.

Inlays are different from onlays in that the placement of inlays in cosmetic dentistry Los Angeles is performed when the affected area is the inner layer of the teeth, when the direction of damage is horizontal. Patients who have undergone inlay placement are not required with follow-up sessions of adjustment, because the restoration is done mostly on the affected tooth’s inner layers.

On the other hand, onlays are used to restore adversely affected regions of the tooth, including the biting surface. This is often experienced by old people who lost almost half of their teeth because of years of grinding. By laying restorative material on the damaged surface, the tooth is restored. Other methods such as composite bonding are also offered by cosmetic dentistry Los Angeles.