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Types of Dental Fillings

There are two types of fillings: dental inlays and dental onlays. Both are restorations for teeth with visible decay, usually manifested in cracks or chipping of the tooth. The differences between inlays and onlays are:

• An inlay is a porcelain filling that fits inside the tooth’s cusps.
• An onlay extends further, over one or more cusps, and repairs part of the tooth’s outside surface. If a tooth is too damaged to be restored with an onlay, it will require a dental crown.

Dr. Omene uses the most advanced materials and technology to place dental inlays and onlays at her Paoli, Pennsylvania, cosmetic dentistry office.

Dental inlays and onlays are made from porcelain matched to your natural teeth. Inlays and onlays are often used to replace existing mercury fillings. Porcelain is more structurally sound than metal fillings, since the ceramic is bonded to the tooth rather than just packed into it tightly. Inlays and onlays can prevent bacteria from spreading between the restoration and the tooth and causing further decay.