An onlay restoration is a custom-made filling crafted from composite resin, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. Often called a partial crown, an onlay is designed in a dental lab and permanently bonded to your tooth by your dentist.
Onlays are a conservative solution for restoring teeth with large fillings or damage from decay or trauma. Unlike full crowns, onlays preserve more natural tooth structure and restore one or more of the tooth’s chewing cusps—making them ideal when the damage extends beyond what an inlay can repair.