Inlays and onlays are fillings designed to treat these more difficult cavities. They are indirect fillings. Indirect fillings are those that are designed and created outside of the tooth and then bonded into the cavity rather than being cured inside of it. Inlays are used to fill cavities between the cusps of your molars.

Onlays, which are also called partial crowns or 3/4 crowns, are used when the cusps of your molars have been affected by decay. They help to rebuild the structure of your tooth while restoring your oral health.

Inlays and onlays both provide several benefits. These include:

• Strengthening the tooth rather than putting it at risk for further harm. 
• Preserving more of your natural tooth structure. With inlays and onlays, we do not need to drill away as much of your natural tooth structure to place the filling.
• Less invasive, and more affordable, than a dental crown.

Inlays and onlays provide an effective treatment for cavities on the chewing surfaces of your molars.