Biomimetic Ceramic Onlays and Same-Visit Crowns
Both are ceramic restorations designed, milled and bonded in a single appointment at our Millenia Walk clinic — about two hours, no putty impression, nothing temporary to wear home. The difference is how much tooth they cover: an onlay replaces only the damaged part and bonds to the sound structure that remains, while a crown covers the whole tooth. We use an onlay wherever there is enough healthy tooth to bond to, which is most of the time.
- Visits
- 1
- Time
- About 2 hours
- Onlay fee
- S$1,744 – 2,725
- Crown fee
- S$1,962 – 2,725
Onlay or crown?
“Biomimetic” means the restoration is built to behave like the tooth it replaces — bonded rather than cemented, with a stiffness close to natural enamel and dentine, so load spreads instead of concentrating at one edge. The practical benefit is that less healthy tooth is cut away, and a tooth that keeps more of its own structure has more left to work with if it ever needs treatment again.
A crown is the right answer when a tooth has lost too much structure to bond an onlay to — a cusp split below the gum, a large old filling that has taken the walls with it, or a root-treated tooth left brittle. We take the scan and photographs first and show you the difference on screen before anything is decided.
- Onlay
- Replaces only the damaged part. Chosen where the walls of the tooth are sound. Removes the least natural structure.
- Crown
- Covers the whole tooth. Chosen where too little sound structure remains to bond to, or after a root canal on a heavily broken tooth.
- Bridge
- Replaces a missing tooth by joining to the teeth on either side, milled as one piece of ceramic. It is an option where an implant is not possible or not wanted, and the neighbouring teeth already need crowning — a bridge means preparing those teeth, so it is not the first choice when they are sound.
What happens
The old filling or decay is removed, and the remaining tooth assessed for cracks under magnification.
The tooth is scanned with the CEREC intraoral scanner — no impression putty. The restoration is designed on screen while you wait, to fit what is actually left of the tooth.
The ceramic is milled in the clinic and glazed.
It is bonded with adhesive resin under isolation, then the bite is checked, adjusted and polished. You leave with the finished tooth.
The system and the ceramics
Scanning, design and milling are done in the clinic on the CEREC system, which is what makes one visit possible: no impression sent out, no laboratory queue, no temporary. The blocks are German and Japanese: CEREC MTL zirconia for strength under load, GC Initial LiSi Block and Ivoclar IPS e.max CAD lithium disilicate blocks where translucency and shade matter more. The block is chosen for the tooth. Because it is a milled block rather than a layered build-up, the strength is uniform throughout the restoration.
No metal is used in either restoration. Where old amalgam is being replaced, see mercury-safe amalgam removal for how the removal itself is handled.
Ceramic bridges
A bridge is the same ceramic, milled as one piece, replacing a missing tooth by joining to the teeth either side. It has its own page, including when we would recommend an implant instead: ceramic bridges.
Who does this at Calm Dental
All five dentists provide both. Fees are on our fees page, including GST. A written quotation follows examination.
Questions
What is the difference between an onlay and a crown?
A crown covers the entire tooth; an onlay covers only the damaged part. Where enough sound tooth remains, an onlay removes less natural structure. Where it does not, a crown is more predictable.
Can an onlay or crown really be done in one visit?
Yes, in most cases. The tooth is scanned, the ceramic is milled on site and the restoration is bonded in the same appointment — about two hours, with nothing temporary to wear home. Some teeth need treatment first; we tell you before we start.
Is an onlay weaker than a crown?
Not in a tooth that suits one. A bonded ceramic onlay in a tooth with sound walls performs comparably. In a badly broken-down tooth, a crown is the stronger option.
What ceramic do you use?
German and Japanese milled ceramics, designed and milled here on the CEREC system: CEREC MTL zirconia for strength under load, and GC Initial LiSi Block or Ivoclar IPS e.max CAD lithium disilicate blocks where translucency and shade matter more. The block is chosen for the tooth.
Is a same-visit restoration as good as a laboratory one?
For a single tooth, yes. Laboratory work is still preferable for multiple front teeth where the shade has to be layered by hand, and we will say so if that is your situation.
How long does a bonded ceramic restoration last?
With good hygiene and a stable bite, well over ten years. What shortens that is untreated grinding, gum disease, or decay starting at the margin — all of which we check at reviews.
Can old silver fillings be replaced with onlays?
Often, yes — a large amalgam has usually left a tooth that needs more than a filling but not necessarily a full crown. See mercury-safe amalgam removal for how we handle the removal itself.
Does it hurt?
The tooth is numbed before it is prepared, so the appointment itself should not hurt. The tooth can be sensitive to cold for a few days afterwards, which settles.