Inlay
Pronunciation: IN-lay
An intracoronal indirect restoration fabricated outside the mouth and cemented within a tooth cavity preparation that does not cover the cusps.
Full Definition
An inlay is a type of indirect restorative tooth preparation in which the restoration sits within the body of the tooth crown without extending over or capping the cusps. It is distinguished from an onlay, which additionally covers one or more cusps, and from a full-coverage crown. Inlays may be fabricated from gold alloy, ceramic, or resin-based materials and are cemented with luting agents. In dental materials literature, inlay restorations are commonly used as test vehicles for assessing luting cement performance, marginal adaptation, and internal fit. Editors should maintain the distinction between inlay and onlay throughout a manuscript, as these terms describe different cavity designs and may affect clinical outcome comparisons.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish carefully from 'onlay' (cusp coverage) and 'overlay' (full occlusal coverage). The editor should flag any inconsistent use of these terms when describing the same restoration in different sections of a manuscript.
In Context
- "Ceramic inlays were compared with direct composite restorations for marginal adaptation in Class II preparations." — Randomised clinical trial, operative dentistry
- "The author interchangeably used 'inlay' and 'onlay'; the editor queried whether cusp coverage was present, as this determines the correct term." — Editorial query, conservative dentistry manuscript