Inlays and Onlays
Dental inlays and onlays are indirect fillings which means that they are fabricated
outside the mouth at a dental laboratory and then bonded to the tooth by the dentist,
which is in contrast to a filling applied directly to the cavity by the dentist during
a clinic visit.
Inlays and onlays are normally indicated when a tooth has suffered a damage such as
extensive tooth decay that a simple filling will not suffice for adequate coverage of
the crown.
The process of getting an inlay/onlay is similar to that of a crown but the important
distinction is that less structure of the tooth will be removed in this case.
This takes place in two visits:
1st Visit
The tooth will be prepared under local anaesthetic and impression made of the prepared tooth,
then sent to the dental laboratory. A temporary filing will be placed into the prepared tooth
until the next visit.
2nd Visit
The temporary filling will be removed under local anaesthetic, and the fabricated inlay/onlay
will be attached to the tooth with a material that hardens when exposed to light