When a tooth develops decay, we provide repair with tooth-colored fillings that are more aesthetic and that can last for decades with the right care. This tooth-colored material bonds tightly to tooth enamel which means less preparation and less drilling for the patient. 

If a tooth loses a significant amount of its tissue or a piece breaks off, an inlay or onlay is a better solution. These are lab-created restorations made from ceramic material colored to match the natural teeth. They are very durable and actually strengthen a tooth. When a patient has old, deteriorated metal fillings replaced, those fillings are often so large that the tooth needs an inlay or onlay as a replacement. 

Inlays fit down into the biting surface of a tooth, and an onlay, which does the same, also replaces one or more of the tooth’s points (called cusps). An Inlay or an onlay may also be the right solution for a fractured tooth.