Success with inlays/onlays: the seven essentials.

Direct restorative materials have revolutionized the industry over the last several years. They offer the convenience to the patient of a one-visit procedure and they decrease overhead in the dental practice. However, it is essential to remember that direct procedures are not always the treatment of choice. For this reason, we should not discount the need for--or the value of--indirect techniques and laboratory-based procedures, such as inlays and onlays. Fit, form, and function can be more predictable when a procedure involves the ultraprecise workings of the dental laboratory--if the impression-making and other focus areas are given their due significance. This article provides key information about and clinical tips for the seven main facets of inlay/onlay fabrications that will lead to clinical success: diagnosis, tooth preparation, tissue management, impression making, temporization, laboratory communications, and final fit/occlusion.