CAD/CAM Inlay / Onlay

An inlay or onlay is a custom-made restoration that repairs a tooth with a larger cavity or fracture too big for a routine filling but not requiring a full crown. I-Dent makes these using CAD/CAM technology in composite (1,000 zł) or ceramic (2,000 zł), bonded into the prepared tooth for a precise, durable and natural-looking result that restores the chewing surface and strengthens the remaining tooth.

Inlays and onlays are sometimes called indirect fillings: rather than being packed in soft and set in the mouth like a standard filling, they are made to fit the exact shape of the prepared tooth and then bonded into place. An inlay sits within the cusps of a back tooth, while an onlay also covers one or more of the cusp tips, rebuilding a larger portion of the biting surface. They are the treatment of choice when decay or a fracture has destroyed too much tooth structure for a reliable direct filling, yet enough healthy tooth remains that a full crown would be unnecessarily destructive. At I-Dent these restorations are produced with CAD/CAM technology — the tooth is scanned and the restoration milled to a precise digital fit — in composite at 1,000 zł or in more wear-resistant, natural-looking ceramic at 2,000 zł. The tooth is prepared under local anaesthetic to remove the damaged tissue and shaped to receive the inlay or onlay, then scanned; the milled restoration is bonded firmly into place and the bite checked and adjusted. Because they are made outside the mouth to a precise fit and then bonded, inlays and onlays tend to be stronger and longer-lasting than large direct fillings, seal the tooth well and help protect the remaining structure from further fracture. Ceramic versions in particular blend in closely with the natural tooth and resist staining. They are well suited to moderately to heavily damaged back teeth in patients wanting a durable, conservative alternative to a crown; the dentist will advise at consultation whether an inlay, onlay, filling or crown is the most appropriate option for a given tooth.