I always feel like I should’ve gotten a syllabus or something before the drill starts...
Totally get where you’re coming from. All these terms get tossed around and it’s easy to feel left out of the loop. Onlays can actually be a good middle ground—they’re less invasive than a full crown, if there’s enough healthy tooth left. But yeah, a little heads-up about what’s happening would make it way less nerve-wracking.
I’m with you—my dentist just said “onlay” and I had to Google it right there in the chair. I ended up getting a crown after my root canal because apparently too much tooth was gone. Did anyone’s insurance actually cover an onlay? I feel like mine barely covered the basics.
I totally get what you mean about insurance barely covering anything—mine was the same. After my root canal, my dentist mentioned an onlay but said my tooth was too far gone, so crown it was. I remember being shocked at the price even with insurance. From what I’ve heard, some plans treat onlays like fillings and cover a bit more, but it really depends. Honestly, dental insurance feels like a guessing game sometimes...
I actually had the opposite happen—my dentist pushed for a crown right after my root canal, but I did some digging and asked about an onlay. Turns out, my tooth wasn’t as far gone as he thought. Insurance barely covered either, but the onlay ended up being a bit cheaper for me out of pocket. I get what you’re saying about insurance being unpredictable, but sometimes it’s worth pushing back a little or getting a second opinion. Not every dentist is quick to offer options, in my experience.
