Partial crowns, inlays and onlays can fill cavities and other areas of trauma or tooth decay and are the preferred restorations when the part of the tooth to be restored is even greater than a filling. An inlay is a strong, durable material made outside the mouth that’s used to replace part of a tooth and is cemented or bonded into place. An inlay fits like a puzzle piece into the tooth. If one of the points, or cusps, is also replaced, this is called an onlay. Unlike regular fillings, which are composed of a soft material that is molded into the tooth directly, indirect porcelain fillings are generally shaped in a dental lab and then firmly cemented into place at a later visit.
