Inlays and Onlays

Evelina Tolchinsky, DDS, DDS

When a tooth is damaged or has decayed too much for a normal tooth filling, but not enough to warrant a the use of a crown, Dr. Tolchinsky and Dr. Trogan will most likely recommend dental inlays or onlays to their patients.

Inlays
If the middle of a tooth (the area between the cusps) has decayed too severely, a standard filling may cause the tooth to break or crack, which could lead to infection and eventually the need for a root canal. In this case, the use of an inlay can cover the decayed area of the tooth, fixing the issue, and minimizing the risk of further work having to be done.

Onlays
Dental onlays are used to fix issues associated with the pointed corners, or cusps, of a tooth. Covering one or more cusps, onlays are sometimes referred to as partial crowns. Unlike a crown however, a dental onlay only covers the top of a tooth, allowing it to maintain most of its original structure.

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