Dental inlays and onlays are used to repair moderately damaged or decayed teeth. These are used when a tooth is too damaged for a filling, but not sufficiently damaged to require a crown. The inlays and onlays allow as much of the tooth as possible to saved, while strengthening the tooth and protecting it against further damage.

Dental Inlay - Placed in the center area of the tooth.
Dental Onlay - Placed on the inside and outside areas of the tooth.


Materials:

• Composite Resins. Manmade materials which cosmetically match the natural tooth color.
• Metal. Gold or other metals tend to produce very strong and durable inlays and onlays. Metals have been used extensively in the past, but are being used less often in recent years due to the availability of tooth color composite materials.
• Porcelain / Ceramics. These can create a good color match to your existing teeth, and are more resistant to staining and abrasion compared to composite resins. The disadvantage is that they are brittle and can break or crack under biting stresses.

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