Dental inlays and onlays are fitted to replace areas of your tooth that have been damaged due to trauma or decay. The difference between an inlay and onlay is that an inlay is only made to cover the inner middle surfaces of your tooth and does not cover any of the cusps or outer parts of your tooth. Onlay include both the outer and middle of your tooth, similar to but more conservative than a crown.
Inlays and onlays are both done in cases where there is room for the dentist to be more conservative. Our inlays and onlays are usually made of either Emax or zirconia which are both very strong materials. Inlays are done where too much of the tooth structure was removed to place a fillings, but small enough where a crown or onlay is not needed. The procedure consists of removing a large cavity on your tooth, then taking an impression that is sent to a lab to custom make the inlay. An onlay is a similar procedure but is done when the cavity or tooth structure is too large to restore with a filling or inlay, but at the same time small enough where we do not need to fit a large crown over the tooth.
The process usually takes two appointments. In the first appointment, we prepare the teeth and a temporary inlay or onlay is fabricated. A final impression is taken and sent to our master ceramist who handcrafts the inlay or onlay to perfectly fit your teeth and smile. The second appointment will consist of cementing the inlay or onlay in place and ensuring you love the shape, size, color, and fit.