Inlays & Onlays

What are they?

You can have inlays or onlays instead of a filling. Fillings are soft to begin with and are moulded to the shape in the mouth. Inlays and onlays are made outside the mouth, usually in a dental laboratory, and then glued to the tooth in the surgery.

An inlay sits in a hole in the tooth, and an onlay sits on the tooth and builds up its shape. They can be made in tooth colouring porcelain, gold or a material called composite. Different materials are suitable for different parts of the mouth and different parts of the teeth.

What will my dentist do?

Your dentist will:

  • Normally give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area
  • Remove any old filling material and any decayed or damaged tooth
  • Use soft, mouldable material which sets in the mouth to record the shape of the tooth being repaired and the teeth around it
  • Give the impression to the dental technician to make the inlay or onlay
  • Use a temporary filling to protect the tooth that is being repaired while you wait for the inlay or onlay to be repaired
  • Glue the inlay or onlay in place on your next visit (they may make small adjustments so that the tooth is comfortable to bite on)

What are the benefits?

  • Inlays and onlays are strong and can last longer than fillings
  • They are especially suitable for the chewing surfaces of back teeth and for large repairs to front teeth where it can be difficult to make a white filling look natural
  • Your dentist can match the colour to your other teeth.

Why choose us?

Leading Dental Care

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Customer Service

Specialist Services

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Services

Disabled Access

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Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Cedar Dental Care. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

2435 Reviews

5.0

5th September 2026

Mr Patel has been looking after my teeth for more than 40 years and I cannot praise him enough.

5th September 2026

Friendly, efficient, clean.

5th September 2026

The dentist and his nurse are very polite and put me at ease. The reception staff are very nice as well

4th September 2026

Always put me at ease

4th September 2026

Kind, patient, caring people.

4th September 2026

Arranging an appointment was easy - it was also quick (next day). I had lost a filling and Rav cleaned and filled the hole quickly and without needing anaesthetic. Very professional, so all good.

3rd September 2026

We went in 5 mins early, everything was smooth, dentist and team are all very friendly.

3rd September 2026

Just excellent treatment and caring.

2nd September 2026

Patrick was attentive, listened to my concerns. Examined my teeth then took X-rays. Clearly explained my problem and offered several options to consider.

29th August 2026

Staff are friendly. Dentist is very good at checking throat, tongue, etc as well as teeth.

29th August 2026

Welcoming, clean, lovely dentist who puts me at ease. Efficient service.

28th August 2026

I have been using Roy most of my life, his skills are the best I’ve received, I’ve tried others but never felt happy with them

27th August 2026

Smooth transition from place to place, treated with friendliness as well as courtesy and respect. Questions answered with patience and encouragement. A lovely calm atmosphere within the practice. What can often be a nerve wracking experience is turned into a positive one.

26th August 2026

Welcoming and professional, but clinicians put you at ease

26th August 2026

Exceptional dental service, been coming for years with my parents and now we attend as a family. Would not go anywhere else, everyone is so friendly and offer a fantastic service. Abi is the best and so are the rest of the team.

26th August 2026

Abby was amazing as usual. She is a real credit to the practise. And the lady on reception was so helpful and friendly, taking the time to help me even though she was very busy!

26th August 2026

Polite professional staff. Clean environment

26th August 2026

Really like patrick who has an excellent apprach with patients, very thorough and always gives you a break if needed. Patrick is a great asset to the practice.

26th August 2026

Abigail always explains things very clearly to me, and I trust her implicitly. She is a superlative dentist, and also kind and caring.

22nd August 2026

As always good administration and good treatment by all

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