Sometimes we discover a tooth has more damage under an old filling. Other times we find there isn’t quite enough damaged tooth structure to support a composite dental filling, but the damage isn’t quite bad enough to require a full crown. That’s when our porcelain inlays and onlays come into play. Made of porcelain, dental inlays and onlays require less tooth preparation before application and are therefore less invasive. Dental inlays sit inside the points or cusps of your teeth, while onlays cover one or more cusps. Dr. Ryan and her team always prefer to use these instead of outdated metal fillings, because they are far more attractive and contain no mercury. And unlike amalgam fillings, dental inlays and onlays are bonded to teeth instead of forced into them, helping support their strength and integrity. Best of all, we can usually create your porcelain inlay or onlay right here in our office in one visit. Just as when making a crown, we use our CEREC technology to scan, design, and mill your restoration. There’s no need for temporaries or return visits. You’ll leave with a strong, lasting restoration that looks and feels so natural you may forget which tooth was restored!