Inlays and onlays are teeth restorations that are used to strengthen teeth that have been partially damaged, where ultimately a traditional filling may no longer be an ideal option.
A dental inlay is a porcelain or composite pre-moulded filling fitted into the grooves of your tooth. It is mostly used as restoration for cavities that are centred in your tooth instead of along the outer edges or “cusps”. These cavities have usually not progressed into more extensive tooth decay.
The procedure involves removing the decayed structure of the tooth, or old filling and taking an impression of the cavity to provide a custom-fit inlay or onlay. While an inlay is used for a cavity in the groove of your tooth, an onlay covers the higher points around the edges of your tooth.