DEFINITION:

Inlays and onlays are solid restorations made in a dental laboratory to repair a tooth that has a defective filling or a cavity.

There are different materials to make inlays and onlays, such as gold, porcelain, and resin. The choice of the material is done according to the patient's desires, the dentist's recommendation, and the location of the tooth being repaired.

Inlays and onlays allow the natural tooth to be resistant and durable, conserving its integrity, as well as avoiding fractures and long run root canals.

APPLICATIONS:

Inlays can restore teeth with little destruction. Onlays are larger restorations at places where there was previously a large cavity or filling.

If the destruction of the tooth is extensive, the dentist might instead recommend using a crown to repair the tooth.

SOURCES:     Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (www.wikipedia.org).

                            WebMD, better information, better health (www.webmd.com).