Ceramic fillings inlay, onlay and overlay ceramic fillings are a type of prosthesis that falls somewhere between fillings and dental crowns.
They are used to rebuild the tooth and are an excellent alternative to the classic crown.
They primarily used for the back teeth like premolars and molars and are done when caries has destroyed a lot of tooth structure that filling cannot hold itself and not sufficiently damaged to need a crown.
While the white fillings are modeled into the mouth, ceramic fillings are modeled in the dental technician’s laboratory, and only then, are cemented on the tooth.
The main difference between inlays, onlays and overlays is in the size of damage and the area of the tooth being treated.
Inlays cover the central part of the tooth and are positioned within the hard tissues of the tooth. They do not cover the cusps or the pointed parts of the tooth.
On the other hand onlays cover a larger area. Besides replacing the internal part of the damaged tooth, they also cover one of the cusps.
So, they are positioned inside the deep tissues of the tooth as well as cover part of the biting surface of the tooth. This helps to protect the damaged tooth from direct chewing load.
Overlays cover a much larger portion of the occlusal or biting surface, covering two or more cusps. 
Book your appointment with Ekdantam Dental clinic.
Call Now