Inlay vs. Onlay or Crown

My dentist filled a cavity on my bottom right tooth, #32, at the begining of January. Whenever I eat something hard that tooth hurts. I went back to my dentist, he said the bite was fine, and I need an Inlay. The cavity was large he said, and he was trying to save me money by trying the filling first, but since its still hurting I should get the Inlay.

Well I've looked up what an Inlay is, and I understand that it binds to my tooth and is stronger than a filling, but what is an onlay? And what is the difference between an Inlay and a crown?

I ask because my insurance will cover most of a crown, but none of a resin Inlay. I could get the metal Inlay, which my insurance will cover half, but my dentist said I could experience additional pain as I will be sensitive to hot/cold. How frequently does this pain develop in people? Is it really worth the extra money. I am leaning toward the resin inlay, because I not thrilled about having a gold (partial) tooth in my mouth.

thankyou

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

Tooth #32 is a wisdom tooth, I am wondering how important it is to retain this particular tooth and the investment that is necessary to do so. That being said an inlay or onlay is a restoration that is more conservative in nature and leaves more tooth structure. I do not know if you will have less sensitivity with resin or metal inlay.At some point the sensitivity should go away completely whether it is metal or resin.

[mike1105]

an inlay goes "in" the tooh and an onlay goes "on" = over the tooth. Onlays in m opinion are superior restorations because they cover the biting surface of the tooth and hence protect it more from fracture. inlays, in my opinion are risky becuse they leave the cusps of the tooth exposed and prone to fracture. They also act like a wedge during chewing that serves to actually "split" the tooth. #32 is a wisdom tooth and if it is not needed to help retain a bridge, and if you have #31 and # 30 present, I would question why so much time and expense is being put into this tooth at all, especially if it is bothering you.

Inlays in my opinion are not nearly as good as directly placed composite fillngs, which are substantially less $, are made out of the same bonded materials, and require less tooth reduction. in my opinion they are done way too often, nd in my opinion part of that reason is the high fee they command.

[erinna]

Well I guess I made a mistake with the tooth number. I had my wisdom teeth pulled years ago, so this is the tooth that is next to where my wisdom tooth would have been. With this in mind is an Inlay a common fix for this problem? I Just have never heard of an Inlay before this, and the suggestion that I need to shell out 700 bucks for resin Inlay kinda shocked me, and I guess I just wonder how common and how necessary it is? I know its hard to answer without seeing the tooth, but are Inlays that common?

[mike1105]

my feeling is that if it can be restored with a resin inlay, it can also be restored with a dirctly placed composite which in my office runs about $195.00. IT IS BASICALLY THE SAME RESORATION. In fact, the directly placed composite requires less drilling usually. It cany hurt to get another opinion.

[Melimar]

A related discussion, What do I do?  HELP was started.