Onlay or Crown?

I have read a number of posts already on this subject but I have not seen my current condition discussed.

Over half of tooth 18 (molar) has broken off. Where the tooth has broken off, there is a little bit of enamel above the gum line. There was an old filling in that tooth and is partially still there. I am not in pain at present.

Dentists is recommending Onlay-porcelein/ceramic-four or more surfaces. He said I could go with a crown as well,
one with preferably high nobile metal, either porcelain fused or full metal.

After some research it is hard for me to conceive that an onlay would be strong enough considering the lack of tooth that it would be bonded too, let alone the significant increase of cost for the onlay.

Any thoughts or any additional information needed for a blind opinion?

thanks for your comments.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Hard to say without looking at it myself.  If you're not sure, a crown is fine.  An onlay with four surfaces is almost a crown anyways since it covers four of the possible 5 surfaces.  If the onlay is 5 surfaces, it essentially functions like a crown.

[rupelja]

Thanks for your comment.

I ended up getting the onlay. My dentist  insisted and I only paid the co-payement for a gold crown, $100.00.

Overall the onlay feels great so far.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

That's good.  If an onlay can be done, its generally considered to be more conservative so I would do it also if the prognosis for it is good.