Restorations for Stronger Teeth

Overview

When a tooth is too damaged for a filling but not quite ready for a full crown, an inlay or onlay offers the ideal solution. These custom restorations strengthen and protect your tooth while preserving more of your natural structure than a crown would.

At Gold Star Dental, we use inlays and onlays to repair decayed or cracked teeth with precision and beauty. Made from durable materials like porcelain or composite resin, they’re color-matched to your smile and designed to last for years with proper care.

What’s the Difference Between an Inlay and an Onlay?

Both are custom restorations crafted in a dental lab and bonded to your tooth, but they cover slightly different areas:

• Inlays fit inside the cusps (the raised edges) of your tooth — like a precise, lab-made filling.
• Onlays extend over one or more cusps — ideal for larger restorations that need extra coverage.

We’ll recommend the right option based on how much of your tooth is damaged and how much structure we can preserve.

Why Choose Inlays or Onlays?

Inlays and onlays offer a perfect middle ground between a simple filling and a full crown. They’re more durable than fillings, more conservative than crowns, and less likely to cause tooth sensitivity or structural stress. They also offer a tighter seal, helping prevent further decay.

The Restoration Process

The process usually takes two visits. At your first appointment, we remove any decay and prepare the tooth. Then we take an impression or digital scan and place a temporary restoration. Your inlay or onlay is custom-made in a lab and bonded into place at your second visit — polished and adjusted for a perfect fit.

Durability and Care

With daily brushing, flossing, and routine checkups, inlays and onlays can last 10 to 20 years or more. They resist staining, wear, and cracking better than fillings and offer long-term protection for weakened teeth.