Dental Inlays and Onlays in Aventura, FL

Restore damaged teeth with custom dental inlays and onlays. Backed by over 40 years of experience, we provide strong, natural-looking restorations that preserve your tooth and enhance long-term function.

If you are concerned about the appearance of your old fillings, new tooth-colored treatments can restore and transform your teeth. Silver and gold fillings are a thing of the past as cosmetic treatments such as inlays and onlays are a new and effective treatment. Inlays and onlays are similar to traditional fillings as they fit inside the tooth where a cavity once was and seal it. The signifying difference is that they come in a variety of tooth-colored materials for an enhanced, more uniform smile.

As most inlay and onlay treatments replace old fillings, the cavity has already been removed and filled. This makes treatment easier, faster, and generally pain-free. Inlays and onlays provide a more sustainable treatment and a natural-looking smile.

Inlays and onlays are available at Haratz Dental in Aventura and the surrounding area. Our staff can help you determine whether this treatment is right for you. Call us at (786) 433-5232 to schedule an appointment.

Understanding

What are
Inlays and Onlays?

Inlays

Traditionally, inlays replace a small amount of tooth structure left by a cavity, just as fillings do. They filled and sealed the tooth but were made only of gold. Inlays today are made of tooth-colored material such as ceramic, porcelain, or a specialized dental composite.

The inlay consists of the tooth-colored material and bonding, a clear fluid material, to attach the inlay to the tooth. As explained by the American College of Prosthodontists, "Using a clear fluid version of this material to seal the exposed surfaces of the teeth decreases sensitivity to temperature changes and certain types of foods." The bonding material is also tooth-colored and may help improve the color and appearance of stained or discolored teeth.

Onlays

Onlays are similar to inlays in that they fill a missing hole caused by a cavity, but onlays extend onto the chewing surface of a tooth to replace one or more cusps. Traditionally, they were also only made of gold, but tooth-colored onlays have made an appearance in dentistry. An onlay is considered a more effective option for patients with large cavities or the decayed area expands over the top of the tooth.

The process of inlays and onlays both involve bonding material to attach and seal it to the tooth. In both treatments, the bonding material may actually improve the strength of the tooth.

"An onlay is considered a more effective option for patients who have large cavities or the decayed area expands over the top of the tooth."

Your Care Team

Meet Our Doctors

Our philosophy is simple: treat every patient with care, knowledge, and love. We’re here to build a long-term relationship with you and your family.

Trust

Knowledge

Long-Term Care

Family Feel

Founder & Owner

Dr. Adela Haratz

Over 40 years creating beautiful smiles. A pioneering aesthetic and scientific authority in dental artistry.

Cosmetic & General

Dr. Michael Mya

A North Miami Beach native dedicated to providing excellent dental care to his community.

Oral Surgery

Dr. Matthew Rand

“My passion is creating bright new smiles for patients of all ages.”

We speak your language: English, Spanish & Hebrew

Our Approach

Inlay or
Filling

Inlays are a cosmetic treatment that can replace old fillings. Increasingly, patients have had the option to choose between a filling or inlay when treating a cavity. We use an impression of the cavity in question to ensure the inlay is the exact size and shape, as opposed to other options that may weaken the tooth. In this way, the cemented inlay strengthens the tooth rather than weakening it.

As inlays become more popular because of their appearance, fillings are hardly ever requested. However, a dentist may resort to a filling for cases in which the patient is allergic to the inlay material used. In many cases, special dental material can be used as an inlay to provide the patient with the highest level of comfort.

"Inlays are formulated using an impression of the cavity and are fabricated to the exact size and shape of the cavity as opposed to being filled in."

Our Approach

Onlay
vs. Crown

An onlay is generally used when a patient has a small hole that is only a tad larger than an inlay or old filling. In most cases, an onlay can cover the cavity hole and surrounding area. Onlays are a less aggressive restoration treatment than crowns as a smaller amount of tooth structure needs to be removed.

On the other hand, crowns are caps or covers used to restore the function and appearance of a tooth but replace the tooth itself. According to the article on caps and crowns, "Crowns are indicated for teeth with very large fillings, teeth that have had a root canal, fractured teeth, worn teeth due to grinding, and misshapen and/or discolored teeth." The key distinguishing factor a dentist will use to determine the right choice for a patient is the size of the cavity.

"The key distinguishing factor a dentist will use to determine the right choice for a patient is the size of the cavity."

Our Approach