To repair damage to the tooth’s biting surface, rather than using a simple filling, or a crown, a dentist can often use an inlay, or an onlay. Inlays and onlays can be made from porcelain, gold, or composite resin. Porcelain is now becoming the material of choice because of its strength and potential to match the natural color of your tooth. It is bonded to your tooth with a thin layer of composite resin and is very hard wearing.
An inlay is similar to a filling and lies inside the cusp tips of the tooth. They are custom-made to fit the prepared  cavity and are then bonded into place. An onlay is a more extensive reconstruction that covers one or more cusps of a tooth. Onlays are indicated in situations where a substantial reconstruction is required. However, more of the tooth structure can be conserved compared to the placement of a crown.Inlays and onlays are applied in two dental visits. At the first visit, the old filling, or decay, is removed, and the tooth is prepared for the inlay / onlay. The dentist will then make an impression of the tooth, and send this impression to a dental laboratory. This impression will be used by the laboratory to construct a custom-made porcelain, or gold inlay / onlay. At this time the dentist will place a temporary filling on your tooth. At the second visit, the temporary filling is removed. Your dentist will then ensure that the inlay / onlay fits properly in the tooth and does not interfere with your bite. The inlay / onlay is then bonded into the tooth with a strong bonding resin, and polished smooth within your natural bite.
The followings pictures show firstly 2 teeth prepared for porcelain onlay's and also the fitted porcelain onlay's.
 
The prepared cavity The fitted porcelain onlay
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