Inlays and Onlays

When more than half of the tooth is missing or the decay is large enough to undermine tooth integrity, a filling is no longer the best treatment choice. In these situations, we will treat the tooth with an inlay, onlay or full crown.

Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin. These pieces are bonded to the damaged area of the tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a filling, is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay, but extending out over on or more of the cusps of the tooth. In some cases, where the damage of the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire crown, onlays can provide an extremely good alternative.

Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice of inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can potentially match the natural color of your teeth.