Assessing what remains
The amount of tissue remaining and the risk of fracture are assessed before any preparation.
Restorative dentistry · Preservation
Inlays, onlays and overlays: restoring a back tooth without a crown.
These partial restorations, custom-made and then bonded, rebuild a damaged back tooth while keeping what is still healthy: a middle ground between a simple composite filling and a crown.
An inlay fills a cavity inside the tooth, an onlay covers one or more of its points (the cusps), and an overlay covers the whole chewing surface. The shape of the cavity, the thickness that remains and the chewing forces guide the choice.
Digital impressions and bonding make a precise restoration possible, designed in the laboratory or through a digital workflow.
Key points
- When? To rebuild a weakened premolar or molar when a partial restoration is enough, without covering the whole tooth with a crown.
- How it works The tooth is prepared and an impression is taken. The custom-made restoration is then bonded, and its contacts with the other teeth are checked.
- Good to know An inlay restores an inner part of the tooth. Onlays and overlays also cover part or all of its chewing surface, depending on the areas that need protecting.
- Fees From €720 to €850 for a ceramic onlay or overlay. A written quote is provided before treatment.
Preservation Index
Rebuilding while covering as little as possible.
04 / 04
- 01No preparation
- 02Additive
- 03Minimal preparation
- 04Restorative
The index shows what a treatment removes from the tooth and what it leaves. Inlays, onlays and overlays sit at the fourth level: the tooth is not just added to; its structure is rebuilt. The level places the procedure without judging it; a crown sits at the same level while removing more.
Preparing only what is necessary
Only the areas that are weakened, or whose surface does not allow a good bond, are prepared; the rest of the tooth is preserved.
Bonding the restoration, then checking
The restoration, made in the laboratory or through a digital workflow, is bonded to the tooth and then adjusted to the bite. The fee for a ceramic onlay or overlay is listed in the table of fees.
Frequently asked questions
Understand before choosing.
Inlay, onlay or overlay: which is indicated, and when?
The amount of tissue remaining and the risk of fracture are assessed before any preparation.
How is the decision made?
An inlay fills a cavity inside the tooth, an onlay covers one or more of its points (the cusps), and an overlay covers the whole chewing surface. The shape of the cavity, the thickness that remains and the chewing forces guide the choice. The final proposal always depends on the clinical examination, the bite and the expectations you have expressed.
Is this solution suitable for every situation?
No. The same request can call for several solutions. The diagnosis makes it possible to compare the benefits, the limits, the alternatives and the biological cost of each one.
From treatment to clinical practice
Exploring this approach further.
Journal
Inlay, onlay or crown: what are the differences, and how do you choose?
Inlay, onlay, overlay or crown: what each one covers, how to choose between them, what studies say about their lifespan, and how treatment works.
First step
The aesthetic consultation
How the diagnosis and the options are presented before any decision is made.
Further reading
Related approaches.
Treatments
Tooth wear
Why teeth wear (erosion, bruxism, abrasion), how to recognise wear that is progressing, and why not every worn tooth needs rebuilding.
Treatments
Adhesive restorations
Bonding makes it possible to rebuild some weakened teeth with partial restorations rather than routinely crowning them.
Treatments
Layered composite
Repairing a chipped, broken or irregular front tooth, or closing a small gap, with composite sculpted layer by layer.
A tailored indication
Every situation
needs its own diagnosis.
The information on this page is general. Only a clinical examination can establish whether a treatment is indicated, and clarify its benefits, limits and alternatives.