To repair damage to the tooth’s biting or chewing surface –rather than using a simple filling or crown—a dentist will often use an inlay, or an onlay.  Inlays and onlays can be made from porcelain, gold, or composite material.   Porcelain is increasingly becoming the material of choice because of its strength and potential to match the natural color of your tooth.

An inlay is similar to a filling and lies inside the cusp tips of the tooth.  They are custom-made to fit the prepared cavity and are then cemented into place.  An onlay is a more extensive reconstruction that covers one or more cusps of a tooth.  Onlays are indicated in situations where a substantial reconstruction is required.  However, more of the tooth structure can be conserved compared to the placement of a crown.

 
Contact the Expressions Dental Team today and see if this procedure is right for you.