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Seamless Smile Rejuvenation
When we consider the options to preserve even a single broken tooth, our doctors will always take a conservative approach. Fortunately, modern dental materials allow our doctors to rebuild teeth to full function while maintaining as much natural tooth structure as possible.
Sometimes teeth suffer damage because of normal function over time, cavities, heavy bite forces, and trauma. While teeth may need to be fully “capped” with a dental crown, some smaller fractures can be perfectly restored with an onlay. A crown requires a little more tooth preparation, but onlays allow the unbroken portions of a tooth to be left uncut. A custom piece of porcelain, like a partial crown, is bonded to the damaged area.
Onlays blend seamlessly with the natural enamel and enhance both function and appearance. When the most conservative choice fits your treatment plan, our doctors may suggest an onlay treatment.
What Happens During a Dental Onlay Appointment
Getting a dental onlay at our Newark office is a comfortable, well-tolerated procedure typically completed in one to two appointments:
Step 1 — Examination & Treatment Planning
Our doctors will thoroughly examine the affected tooth, using clinical assessment and digital X-rays to evaluate the extent of the damage and determine whether an onlay is the most appropriate restoration. We will explain our recommendation clearly and answer all of your questions before proceeding.
Step 2 — Tooth Preparation
The damaged or decayed portion of the tooth is gently removed under local anesthesia, leaving all intact, healthy tooth structure completely unaltered. Only the areas that need to be restored are prepared. This is the fundamental advantage of an onlay over a full crown.
Step 3 — Impressions & Design
Precise digital or physical impressions of the prepared tooth are taken and used to design your custom onlay, ensuring a perfect fit that restores the tooth's natural contours, bite function, and appearance. Your onlay is then fabricated from high-quality porcelain in a dental laboratory.
Step 4 — Temporary Restoration
While your permanent onlay is being crafted, a temporary restoration is placed to protect the prepared tooth between appointments.
Step 5 — Placement & Bonding
At your second appointment, your custom onlay is carefully tried in, evaluated for fit, bite, and appearance and then permanently bonded to the tooth using a strong dental adhesive. The unbroken portions of the tooth remain entirely unaffected. Minor adjustments to the bite are made as needed and the onlay is polished to a natural high shine.
The Result
A seamless, strong, natural-looking restoration that reinforces the damaged tooth, preserving everything that was healthy, restoring everything that was lost, and blending invisibly into your smile.
Trusted Conservative Tooth Restorations Serving Newark & the East Bay
Newark Smiles Dental is proud to offer dental onlay restorations to patients throughout Newark, Fremont, Union City, Hayward, and the greater East Bay area. Our commitment to conservative dentistry means we will always recommend the least invasive restoration that adequately protects and restores your tooth and a well-placed onlay is often the most elegant expression of that philosophy.
When you come to our Newark office with a damaged tooth, you can trust that our recommendation is based entirely on what will serve your tooth's long-term health and your smile's long-term beauty, not on what generates the most treatment.
Have a Damaged Tooth That Needs Attention in Newark, CA?
Don't wait, a damaged tooth that goes untreated today can become a much bigger problem tomorrow. Our team at Newark Smiles Dental will evaluate your tooth honestly and recommend the most conservative, effective solution available.
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