Porcelain Fillings (Inlays/Onlays)

Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota

No one wants to get dental cavity, but sometimes, regardless of how much you brush and floss, tooth decay can sneak up on you and cause serious discomfort and pain. In the past the only way to stop a cavity from destroying a tooth was with silver amalgam mercury fillings or dental crowns. Today, patients can avoid having a mouthful of unsightly silver or unnecessary dental crowns thanks to the new porcelain fillings.

Dr. Walter Palmer offers porcelain fillings, also known as porcelain inlays or onlays, in his River Bluff Dental office.

Porcelain Inlays and Onlays

Porcelain fillings are used when a tooth is damaged too much to receive a filling but not enough to warrant a dental crown. The difference between porcelain inlays and onlays is:

• Porcelain inlays repair decay that is located in the cusps on the tooth’s chewing surface
• Porcelain onlays cover more surface area and are used when the decay is more extensive

Porcelain Filling Process

As with traditional fillings, Dr. Palmer must remove the decayed portion of the tooth. The exact size and shape of the problem area is determined by making an impression of the tooth. Depending on the amount of teeth to be filled, Dr. Palmer may be able to make the custom porcelain filling in-house using his state-of-the-art CEREC® 3 system.

If the tooth damage is too severe or if several teeth require a porcelain filling, Dr. Palmer will send the teeth impressions to Westland Dental Lab so they can be fabricated to the exact specifications for the patient. Because this process can take up to two weeks, Dr. Palmer will provide you with a temporary filling to protect your teeth.

Patients return to the office when the porcelain fillings are ready. The temporary fillings are removed and the permanent porcelain fillings are checked for precise fit and cemented to the teeth.

Advantages of Porcelain Fillings

Porcelain fillings have become the industry standard because they:

• Resist stains
• Blend naturally with the tooth and become almost invisible
• Last longer than metal fillings
• Allow for expansion and contraction so they do not tend to crack or fracture

Because many of our patients are embarrassed about the dark areas in their smiles, Dr. Palmer can also remove old silver fillings and replace them with more natural looking porcelain fillings.

If you would like to learn more about porcelain fillings, please contact cosmetic dentist Dr. Walter Palmer at River Bluff Dental to schedule a consultation in his Bloomington, Minnesota office.