Esthetic inlays and onlays

Advances in adhesive technology offer the dentist the potential to place tooth-reinforcing restorations with more conservative preparations. At the same time, improvements in tooth-colored restorative materials are yielding high levels of durability and esthetics. The combination of these events has led to the development and continued refinement of an entirely new class of restorations for posterior teeth, called esthetic inlays and onlays. This paper summarizes current scientific and clinical opinion regarding this class of dental restorative and presents clinical technique criteria common to all types of esthetic inlays and onlays whether performed directly or indirectly, in resin or in ceramic.