An inlay or onlay is a partial-coverage option for a damaged tooth. In the reviewed studies, its survival was similar to complete-coverage restorations.
Published five-year results included 97.4% survival for crowns and 98.9% for both onlays and inlays. Reported ten-year survival varied across restoration types and studies.
Both partial and complete coverage restorations can fail through fracture or chipping, recurrent decay, loss of retention and, with all-ceramic restorations, severe marginal staining.
A tooth can sometimes be rebuilt with a white filling material that bonds to enamel. A porcelain veneer may be considered for a front tooth when the bite is not heavy.
Tooth position, tooth history, treatment frequency and periodontal indices can affect restoration survival. Anterior teeth showed higher survival than posterior teeth in the review.
