What are inlays and onlays?
Also known as indirect restorations, inlays and onlays are a more conservative approach to full coverage dental restorations, and they could be a better alternative to conventional dental filling materials such as resin composites or amalgams.
An inlay is an indirect restoration that lies well within the boundaries of the tooth while an onlay covers one or more of the cusps of a tooth. Therefore, it can be said that an inlay is used to restore a cavity surrounded by natural tooth structure while an onlay restores an extensively damaged tooth to its original form and function.
Once the decayed portion of the tooth is removed, the tooth is ready for an indirect restoration. You do not need to remove the non- decayed part of the tooth for it to accept the restoration.
