Inlays & Onlays
Custom made indirect restorations
Inlays and onlays are custom-made for cavities in the back teeth that may be too large to be repaired with a normal filling. They are produced in a dental laboratory from impressions taken of your teeth and usually made from porcelain for a natural-looking finish.
An inlay is placed within a cavity and an onlay is applied over the biting surface, covering one or more of the tooth’s cusps.
What is the treatment process?
Step One
We remove any areas of decay and take an impression so that our dental laboratory can manufacture the final restoration.
Step Two
We protect the prepared cavity with a temporary restoration while you wait for your permanent inlay or onlay to be made.
Step Three
When ready, this will be tried-in and then fixed in place with dental cement and smoothed off for the perfect finish.
What are the plus points?
- tailored to fit precisely
- an unnoticeable repair for large cavities
- offers protection to weak teeth and is usually long-lasting
- more of the natural tooth structure is maintained compared to a crown
What else do I need to know?
Although inlays and onlays are stable restorations that fit perfectly to provide excellent protection and restored functionality, they do need to be kept clean and checked over when you attend your routine dental appointments.