We can repair small and medium-sized cavities in teeth with tooth coloured composite resin, but this material isn’t strong enough for larger fillings. If you need a large filling in a back tooth, an inlay or onlay is stronger, longer-lasting and much more durable. The inlay or onlay ensures your tooth is restored to the correct shape and makes sure it is strong enough so you can chew food without the risk of fracturing your tooth.
Inlays and onlays are called indirect restorations as unlike an ordinary filling, they are made outside of the mouth, and we usually need two appointments to complete treatment. They can be made from gold alloy, polished to a high sheen, or more often from porcelain as today’s modern porcelains are very strong and create a natural-looking restoration that is virtually invisible.