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Dental Inlays and Onlays

An inlay or onlay is a made-to-measure repair for a tooth that is too damaged for an ordinary filling but not so far gone that it needs a full crown. It is the middle option: it saves more of your natural tooth than a crown, while being far stronger than a large filling.
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Treatment Overview

What are Inlays and Onlays?

Inlays and onlays are solid, made-to-measure restorations that repair a damaged tooth. Rather than being packed in soft like a normal filling, they are made in a dental laboratory to fit the exact shape of your tooth, then bonded firmly in place. Because they are made outside the mouth first, they are very precise and hard-wearing.
The difference between the two is simply how much they cover. An inlay sits inside the biting surface of the tooth, filling the dip in the middle. An onlay does the same but also covers one or more of the raised points, the cusps, at the corners of the tooth. Your dentist chooses whichever restores the tooth best.
They are the natural choice when a cavity or a broken piece is too big for a filling to hold reliably, but there is still enough healthy tooth that you do not need a full crown. Choosing an inlay or onlay means keeping more of your own tooth, which is almost always the better outcome.
An inlay or onlay may suit you if you have:
  • A cavity too large for a normal filling to hold well
  • A big old filling that keeps breaking or wearing down
  • A cracked or chipped tooth that still has healthy structure
  • A tooth that needs strengthening but not a full crown
  • Wear on the biting surface of a back tooth
What you get here:
  • Longer appointments, so nothing is rushed
  • A digital scan of your tooth, not a mouthful of putty
  • The Wand, for almost pain-free injections
  • A restoration made to fit your tooth exactly
  • An itemised price before any work starts
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A new patient examination is £92.

We price your inlay or onlay after we have assessed the tooth.
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Or call 023 8084 3318

What Our Patients Say

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Smile Gallery

Real patient results.

A snapshot of the work that comes out of the practice — from gentle composite bonding to full smile makeovers.
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After

Composite bonding

Rebuilding chipped, worn edges in a single visit
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After

Teeth whitening

Several shades brighter, from A2 to B1
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After

Dental implant

Restoring a front tooth with a natural-looking implant
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The Process

What Happens When You Have a Inlay or Onlay Fitted

01

We check the tooth

We examine the tooth, take X-rays if we need them, and work out whether an inlay, an onlay, a filling or a crown is the right repair for it. We explain why before we start.

02

We prepare the tooth

We numb the tooth with The Wand, then remove the decay or the old filling and shape the tooth so the restoration will fit neatly.

03

A digital impression

We take a digital scan and send it to the laboratory that makes your inlay or onlay. We protect the tooth with a temporary while you wait.

04

We bond it in place

At your next visit we check the fit and your bite, then bond the inlay or onlay firmly onto the tooth.
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Why Patients Stay With Us

What makes Waterside different.

We take our time

Longer appointments, so we can talk through your concerns and give you a break if you need one.

Almost pain-free injections

The Wand numbs you without the big needle or the sting. Most patients are surprised how easy it is.

Digital X-rays

We diagnose faster, more accurately and with far less radiation than older film.

A hand to hold

Bring a partner in, or hold a nurse's hand. If you ever need us, we respond the same day.

About Waterside Dental

Your private dental practice in Hythe.

Waterside Dental is a private practice in Hythe, owned and led by principal dentist Dr Nikos Louskos since 2017. It has recently been refurbished to feel more like home than a clinic, and is run by a small, hand-picked team — so you'll always see a familiar face.
Care here is unhurried and patient-led. Appointments are longer so concerns can be talked through properly, treatment is explained in plain language, and nothing is rushed — with breaks during longer procedures whenever you need them.
We welcome private patients from Hythe and across Southampton — whether you're registering as a new patient or visiting for a single course of treatment while staying with your current dentist.
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Learn more about Waterside
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"I firmly believe that dentistry doesn't have to be unpleasant or scary, and that often it can be life-changing."

DR NIKOS LOUSKOS

Our Principal Dentist

Meet Dr Nikos Louskos.

DDS · MSc Endodontics · GDC No. 102626
Principal dentist and practice owner, with a special interest in endodontics.
Dr Nikos Louskos qualified in Athens in 2005 and moved to the UK in 2006. He worked as an associate at Waterside before taking ownership of the practice in 2017.
In 2016 he completed a Master's in Endodontic Practice at Queen Mary University of London. He accepts referrals for complex root canal cases, which he treats under a microscope, and enjoys all aspects of general dentistry.
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Our pricing

Clear fees &
 payment options.

Nobody wants surprises after a dental visit. You'll get an itemised treatment plan with exact costs before anything begins, plus monthly payment options to spread the cost.

Treatment Fees

See our full, itemised price list — every treatment, clearly costed.
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Dental Plan

Spread routine care with our monthly practice plan and unlock member discounts.
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Finance is provided by Tabeo and is interest-bearing from 9.9% APR. Practice-plan discounts apply to selected treatments — full terms are listed on the Fees and Plans pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions patients ask us.

A few of the things patients ask us most often. If your question isn't here, just get in touch — we're happy to talk it through.

Both are made-to-measure repairs bonded onto a tooth. An inlay fills the dip in the middle of the biting surface. An onlay does that and also covers one or more of the raised points at the corners of the tooth. Your dentist picks whichever restores the tooth best.

A normal filling is packed in soft and set hard in the mouth, which works well for smaller cavities. When the damage is larger, a filling can be harder to hold reliably. An inlay or onlay is made to fit the tooth exactly and bonded in, so it is stronger and tends to last longer on a bigger repair.

A crown covers the whole tooth, which means removing more of it. An inlay or onlay repairs only the damaged part, so you keep more of your natural tooth. Where there is enough healthy tooth left, that is usually the better choice, and we will tell you honestly which one your tooth needs.

No. We numb the tooth fully first, using The Wand for a gentle injection with no big needle and no sting. Most people find it much like having a filling done.

Usually two. At the first we prepare the tooth, take a digital scan and fit a temporary. The laboratory then makes your inlay or onlay, and we bond it in at the second visit.

It depends on the tooth and the material used, so we give you an itemised price after we have assessed it. You will know the full cost in writing before any treatment starts, and you can spread it with our Practice Plan or finance.

A well cared for inlay or onlay can last many years. We cannot promise an exact figure, because it depends on the tooth and how it is looked after. Keeping up your check-ups lets us keep an eye on it.

Yes. Tell us when you book. We use The Wand for almost pain-free injections, we allow longer appointments so nothing is rushed, and you can bring someone in with you or hold a nurse's hand. If you need it, we also offer oral or intravenous sedation.
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Get in Touch

Book, or just ask us a question.

Whether you'd like to book or just have a question about treatment, send us a message and a member of the team will get back to you — the same day wherever we can.

Waterside Dental Practice

Visit us

40 Langdown Lawn, Hythe,
Southampton, SO45 5GR

Call

023 8084 3318

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admin@watersidedental.co.uk

Opening hours

Monday–Friday · 9:00–17:30

Send us a message

We'll get back to you the same day wherever we can.

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A private dental practice in Hythe, Southampton — owned and led by Dr Nikos Louskos. Calm, unhurried care for nervous patients and complex referrals.
Waterside Dental Practice is a part of the TDMP Group Ltd
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Contact
40 Langdown Lawn,
Hythe, Southampton,
SO45 5GR
01243 775545 admin@watersidedental.co.uk
Mon–Fri · 9:00–17:30
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