Dental Inlays and Overlays
Built to Blend. Designed to Last. Inlays & Overlays that Work.
Inlays, onlays, and crowns, the terminology of these cosmetic dentistry treatments may seem confusing to the average person. Brentwood Dental Spa specializes in cosmetic dentistry, delivering expert care and stunning results.
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Make Your Teeth Your Crowning Glory
Both dental crowns and onlays are treatments to restore a single tooth. A dentist uses a crown or an onlay for a tooth that has major decay. Major decay means that the dentist cannot restore the tooth using traditional fillings or inlays. There is, however, a big difference between the two treatments.
A crown covers the surface of the tooth that’s made for biting down. A crown covers the whole tooth structure, all the way down to the gum line.
As its name implies, an onlay lies on the tooth structure after the dentist shapes it to fit the onlay. It is usually a minor repair since the base of the tooth must support the onlay. The onlay then bonds to the tooth to make the tooth stronger.
An inlay is different from either the crown or the onlay. An inlay is appropriate where the decay damage to the tooth is between the cusps. The cusp is the high point on back teeth (molars and premolars) and on the canine teeth (sometimes called eyeteeth). The cusps help the mouth chew by grinding the food into smaller pieces.
The dentist shapes an inlay to fit inside the cusps. The inlay becomes the tooth’s filling after the dentist removes the decayed portion of the tooth. The dentist constructs the inlay out of material that matches the natural tooth color. Tooth inlays bond to the natural teeth which creates a seal between the inlay and the tooth to strengthen the tooth.
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Moving Right Along: Inlay/Onlay Procedure
The first step for either an inlay or an onlay is for the dentist to remove all the decay from the tooth. Next, the dental assistant will make a mold of your tooth in order to fashion the inlay/onlay. Then, the cosmetic dentist sends the mold to an outside lab to create the inlay/onlay.
It can take up to a couple of weeks to get the inlay/onlay back from the lab. In the meantime, the dentist will create a temporary inlay/onlay for you to wear. After the permanent restoration comes back from the lab, the dentist cements the inlay/onlay to the tooth with an adhesive. And voilà! Your teeth are beautiful (and natural-looking) once more.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Inlays and overlays are custom-made dental restorations used to repair damaged or decayed teeth. Inlays fit inside the cusps of a tooth, while overlays cover one or more cusps.
Unlike traditional fillings, inlays and overlays are fabricated outside the mouth and then bonded to the tooth. They are more durable than fillings and more conservative than crowns.
Most inlays and overlays are made from tooth-colored porcelain or composite resin, making them virtually invisible. They blend seamlessly with your natural teeth for a discreet restoration.
Dentists recommend inlays or overlays when a tooth is too damaged for a filling but doesn’t require a full crown. They help restore strength and function without removing too much tooth structure.
With proper care, inlays and overlays can last 10–15 years or longer. Their lifespan depends on oral hygiene, material quality, and bite pressure.