Porcelain inlays and onlays are mentioned a lot. What are they exactly?
Porcelain inlays and onlays are state-of-the-art, conservative dental restorations. Essentially they take the place of silver fillings, but they provide more strength to the damaged tooth and have the added benefit of looking just like the natural tooth. In comparison to crowns or ‘caps’, inlays and onlays require less removal of tooth structure and replace only what is needed (i.e. old fillings and decay). The porcelain inlay/onlay is a conservative, aesthetic, and long lasting treatment for replacement of silver fillings. They can last 15-20 years or longer.
