Dental inlays and onlays are tooth restorations that are more conservative than a crown, used when old fillings need to be removed or replaced. They can be used to repair teeth that are cracked or fractured but not damaged to the degree that a crown is needed, or for teeth with mild to moderate decay. An ideal candidate for an inlay or onlay is a tooth with too much decay or damage to be successfully treated with a filling, but with enough healthy tooth structure remaining.

Niloufar Molayem, D.D.S. serves Pasadena and the surrounding area, providing general and cosmetic dentistry services, including restorations with inlays and onlays. In a practice geared toward holistic, conservative treatment, you can have confidence that Dr. Molayem will use the least aggressive methods possible in restoring your smile, while ensuring your well-being as a whole patient.

What Are Inlays and Onlays?

Dental inlays and onlays are custom-made inserts that fit perfectly inside a prepared tooth. They can be made of gold, composite materials, or porcelain. Inlays and onlays are made in a dental laboratory and cemented to the tooth structure by your dentist. The inlay or onlay is securely bonded to the tooth to stabilize the surrounding structure and to prevent further decay. Tooth-colored porcelain inlays and onlays, carefully matched to your tooth color, look completely natural in place.

Like crowns, inlays and onlays require two dental appointments – the first to remove decay and damage, take impressions of the tooth, and place a temporary restoration; and the second to remove the temporary restoration, ensure the fit of the inlay or onlay, and carefully and precisely cement it in place.

What Is the Difference between Inlays and Onlays?

Inlays and onlays are the same type of restoration, but used to cover different parts of the tooth. A dental inlay is used to cover the space at the center of the tooth’s surface, between the cusps (top edges of the tooth). A dental onlay serves the same purpose as an inlay, but more extensively, covering one or more cusps, and in some cases, the entire biting surface of the tooth. Dental onlays are sometimes called partial crowns because of their extensive coverage.

Benefits of Inlays and Onlays

A more conservative treatment, inlays and onlays preserve more of the natural tooth than a crown. This type of restoration has several benefits:

Durability: Inlays and onlays are made of durable, hard-wearing materials that can last up to 30 years.
Tooth strength: Unlike traditional metal fillings, which actually reduce the strength of teeth, inlays and onlays can help strengthen them by up to 75%.
Tooth life: An inlay or onlay can help prevent the need for additional dental treatment in the future and help prolong the life of the tooth.

Inlays & Onlays in Pasadena

Niloufar Molayem, D.D.S. provides high quality dental services, practicing with an integrated, conservative approach. Her patients rely on Dr. Molayem to provide a range of quality restoration procedures, including dental inlays and onlays.

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Practice Policy Update Regarding COVID-19

May 2020

Dear Valued Patient:

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

All patients must wear a mask when entering the office.

Anyone accompanying you will be asked to wait in their vehicle.

Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.

Upon arrival at your appointment your temperature will be taken for the safety of all staff and patients.

Prior to receiving treatment you will be asked to rinse with an antimicrobial for a minimum of 30 seconds

We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.

You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.

UV Air purifiers have been placed throughout the office.

Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time, so we ask that you do your best to be on time.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at (626)798-7834 or visit our website at pasadenasmilecenter@yahoo.com.

Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Sincerely, Niloufar Molayem, D.D.S. & Team