Inlays and Onlays

Sometimes a large amount of a tooth’s biting surface is damaged. For a tooth that is too damaged to restore with a filling, but does not need a full coverage crown, a dentist will often recommend an inlay.

Essentially the damaged area of the tooth is removed, and a custom made restoration is bonded in its place. We often use the term onlay to refer to an inlay that has to cover one or more of the tooth cusps, but the procedure is the same.