(In dentistry) a type of filling for teeth.
A substance or piece of tissue inserted to replace a defect in a tissue. For example, a bone graft may be inlaid into an area of missing or damaged bone. In dentistry an inlay is a ‘filling of cast metal, usually gold, sealed into a tooth with cement.
A solid filling made to the precise shape of a cavity of a tooth and cemented into it; usually the inlay is made of casting alloy, but it may be porcelain.
A dental restoration created externally to the tooth and subsequently bonded in place is referred to as an indirect filling. Once fabricated, the filling is cemented onto the tooth surface to restore its form and function.