Gold Onlay

An onlay is a half way house between a filling and a crown, they are used on severely weakened back teeth that don’t quite require a crown. Their main advantage is that they don’t require quite so much tooth reduction as a crown but are just a good at reinforcing a tooth to stop it from cracking. This means that when eventually the onlay needs replacement it is still possible to have a crown as there is plenty of tooth left. Onlays are made by a technician as they are made from gold which is extremely durable material which wears well over many years (see the Crowns section). Onlays for back teeth that show (especially in the lower jaw) can be made of porcelain instead which looks more natural. However, porcelain is not as durable as gold.