onlay
onlay — noun
1. A thin piece of metal, ceramic, or other hard material that a dentist fixes onto
A thin piece of metal, ceramic, or other hard material that a dentist fixes onto a damaged tooth to cover and protect its broken surfaces, used when a filling is too weak for the damage.
After the crack reached her molar's edge, Dr. Park suggested an onlay instead of a larger filling.
contrast: onlay vs. filling
The ceramic onlay matched Yuki's other teeth so well that no one could see it.
Jorge's silver filling had worn down, so the dentist replaced it with a gold onlay.
material: gold onlay
An onlay covers the chewing surface and can protect a tooth from breaking further.
- ceramic onlay
- gold onlay
- metal onlay
- onlay restoration
- onlay procedure
- dental crown
A crown covers the entire tooth; an onlay covers only part of it.
Usage Note
Distinguish from an 'inlay' — an inlay sits inside the tooth's cusps, while an onlay extends over one or more cusps to protect the entire chewing surface.
Common Mistakes
2. A piece of bone, cartilage, or other tissue that a surgeon places on top of a da
A piece of bone, cartilage, or other tissue that a surgeon places on top of a damaged body part — for example, a broken shin or a weak jawbone — to help the body rebuild itself.
The surgeon took a piece of bone from Amir's hip and placed it as an onlay on his shin.
donor site to recipient site
After the accident, Priya needed a bone onlay to rebuild her lower jaw.
The onlay of cartilage helped repair the worn joint surface in Lin's injured knee.
cartilage onlay for joints
Over six months the bone onlay fused with Fatima's skull and became part of it.
- bone onlay
- cartilage onlay
- onlay graft
- onlay technique
- onlay procedure
- graft
A broader term; an onlay is a specific type of graft applied to the surface.
Usage Note
In surgery, 'onlay' contrasts with 'inlay graft' (which is placed inside a defect). An onlay sits on the surface and is often used to build up a weakened area.