byAlma Abell

Our dental health is of primary importance in terms of our overall health. Indeed, our teeth sustain wear and tear every time that they are used for biting and chewing. This process wears on the enamel surfaces and can cause ongoing damage to the bone structure of the teeth. The force from biting may eventually result in fine cracks that enlarge and damage the tooth further. In some cases, this damage leads to sections of the tooth coming loose and compromising the cusp or biting surface.

How Our Teeth Are Damaged

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Our teeth are important, not only because they allow us to chew our food, but also because they form a smile that is integral in social situations. Over time, our teeth are vulnerable to regular wear and tear, including:

  • Biting and shearing forces cracking the teeth
  • Trauma to the teeth caused by impacts, such as sporting injuries
  • Cavities caused by the acidic byproducts of bacterial plaques

In these cases, dental inlays and onlays may succeed in fixing the problem. Clinics like Lewis Family Dentistry provide such services.

Fixing Damaged Teeth

Dental inlays and onlays in Camas, WA are useful in the following ways:

  • Inlays: Where there is a cavity or small fissure that has not compromised the overall structural integrity of the tooth, an inlay is often used. A substance like gold or porcelain is often molded to fit outside of the mouth and then placed inside a cavity or fissure. This restorative technique is quick and easily prepared.
  • Onlays: Where a tooth’s structural integrity is compromised, an onlay is used to restore the missing structure of the tooth. In most cases, it is used where the cusp of the tooth is missing or damaged.

Both dental inlays and onlays are typically composed of gold or porcelain, as these substances have been proven over time to be very durable and help avoid the issue of shrinkage. In recent years, resins have improved to the point that they are now being explored by a number of dentists.

Our teeth endure a lot of wear and tear, and over time this can cause a variety of structural issues, such as cavities, holes, cracks, fissures, and fractures. The good news is that there are dental techniques that restore teeth to a functional state. You can also connect them on Facebook.