Do you have old fillings in silver amalgam that should be replaced? Do you have cavities that could undermine the health of your teeth? Then choose dental inlays, one of the most effective solutions for reconstructing damaged teeth. The article describes the main characteristics and uses of dental inlays.
What is a dental inlay?
It is a technique used in the field of dental aesthetics to fill teeth and replace old silver-amalgam fillings with a more biocompatible, longer-lasting material that improves on appearance as well.
In practical terms, the portion of the dental tissue lost following a cavity or a trauma is replaced by inserting the dental inlay directly into the hole created inside the tooth, in this way restoring its original form. The technique is used for both premolars and molars.
Dental inlays protect the tooth by making it more stronger while restoring its appearance and chewing function.
Characteristics of dental inlays
Dental inlays can be made from a number of different materials, including porcelain. Porcelain is the most biocompatible and longest-lasting material, as well as the one that most closely resembles natural teeth. And unlike silver amalgam, there is no chance that it will cause problems tied to an accumulation of mercury in the body.
Before the dental inlay can be inserted in the missing portion of the tooth, the tooth itself must be prepared, first by removing the missing part, after which the tooth is shaped into the form best able to house the reconstruction following insertion.
Next a mould is taken for use by the dental technician in constructing the inlay. The final operation is the binding of the dental inlay in the tooth prepared in advance.
The Freesmile Centre uses the Cerec method, a computerised system that allows the dentist to construct extremely precise ceramic inlays in the course of a single session.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ceramic dental inlays definitely present more advantages than the old fillings in silver amalgam:
- they are built with one of the most biocompatible materials currently available;
- they protect the teeth, preserving their substance;
- they guarantee a perfect appearance;
- they last over time.
The lone drawback of dental inlays is the price, as they generally cost more than fillings in silver amalgam or resin composites.
