A custom-made dental filling used to restore a badly decayed tooth. Dental inlays may be made of gold, porcelain, or composite. Inlays are generally used to support the biting surfaces of the back teeth that are being treated for tooth decay. Inlays may be made of gold because it is the hardest of the filling materials. For cosmetic reasons, however, porcelain or composite inlays may be more appropriate.
A porcelain or gold filling is used to repair a severely decayed tooth when the cavity is too large for amalgam. Inlays may be necessary for the back teeth or to strengthen and protect a weakened tooth.