Inlay

Inlay is a sort of filling that can replace missing tooth tissue, thus restoring a tooth's anatomical shape, chewing ability and function.

It takes two appointments to make an inlay: the first time is about preparations and taking an impress. Afterwards inlay is prepared in a dental laboratory, which usually takes a week. A temporary filling is put in the tooth during this time. After the inlay has been prepared by technicians, a dentist will stick it into the cavity with a specific adhesive.

This is a quite durable and decorative type of filling.

It is recommended to get an inlay when caries has already affected two or more parts of the surface of the tooth, or when caries in the areas around a removed filling affect one or two surfaces that are in touch with the teeth next to. It is absolutely recommended to replace old, larger amalgam fillings, to restore edges or to cover teeth that have been treated with root canal therapy.

Its biggest advantage is that the healthy parts of a tooth can be saved.

Inlays can also be prepared on cosmetic grounds (discolouration of occlusal teeth, the structure of a tooth is defective by birth), or if a tooth has got an unsuitable shape or when the masticatory function is unsatisfying.

Inlays can also substitute missing teeth. In this case, the replacement tooth is held by inlays built into the teeth next to the gap (partial dentures anchored by inlay).

Today the variety of inlays offers countless number of solutions according to different demands for functionality, aesthetics and price.

A huge part of inlays is able to meet high aesthetic standards. Our inlays made of reinforced composite (Belle Glass, Grádia) and porcelain (compressed porcelain, Empress) ensure satisfaction for our patients from 8 to 12 years. It is an excellent solution for completion and restoration of missing parts of teeth, or just making teeth more beautiful in the visible side-zone. Its colour can be matched to any kind of tooth-tone and individual colouring, thus enabling you to have a harmonic, nice smile, and your teeth will get individual characteristics. The cosmetic inlays we offer are of very high quality, their masticatory stability and durability gives you a long-term solution.

Belle Glass:This is a synthetic resin reinforced with glass fibre. Aesthetic as it has similar colour as teeth. The characteristics of this material are quite similar to the ones of teeth. It will not scuff the tooth opposite to it, it is not rigid or fragile.

Gradia: It has similar characteristics as Belle Glass.

Porcelains: Porcelain inlays can be made of different materials and using different technologies. Ordinary porcelain: a quite aesthetic, nice restoration, more transparent than Belle Glass or Gradia, but as for its physical characteristics, it is not as favourable as the other two. It is much more rigid, fragile and pretty firm material. Often it can expose teeth to strong stress. If it is thin, it can chip easily, therefore a lot of tooth material will be lost, quite often from healthy teeth during trying to find the right thickness in order to avoid fracture. Compressed porcelain: extremely firm, less fragile than the ordinary one, but the right thickness has to be found. Its drawback is that as it is compressed from one piece, it can not have the variety of tones that otherwise can be found within one tooth. Galvanized gold-ceramic inlay: it is built on a foundation of a thin layer of galvanized gold, which is quite tight due to the applied technology. A layer of porcelain is fused onto this foundation, which gives the actual shape of the inlay. A disadvantage is that a thin line of gold is visible below the porcelain line, which on the other hand ensures that the inlay lies tightly. The other disadvantage is of purely aesthetic nature: the yellow colour of gold affects the colour of the inlay in a certain extent, especially in areas where the layer of porcelain is pretty thin. Porcelain inlay fused to Zircon-oxide frame: this type of inlay is made with the newest technology. Its foundation is made of a white metal-oxide produced with a specific technology. A photo of the prepared cavity is fed into computer where specific software creates a virtual frame. This information is sent to a dental laboratory that is specialized in this field. This laboratory can be found in Germany or Sweden. The eventual frame is prepared here then sent back to the dental laboratory where finally the inlay is made. Its advantage is that is extremely accurate and quite aesthetic. The disadvantage is that it needs more time and is more expensive due to the specific technology.

Gold inlay: It is recommended for those patients who seek a long term solution of high quality and standard for up to 15 or 20 years. This type of inlay is characterised by perfect fitting (inlay lies perfectly on the tooth), convenient masticatory stability, durability and resistance against bacteria. The only disadvantage about it is that it does not have the colour of teeth, although its surface can be coated with a layer of porcelain. It is an excellent investment considering price-value ratio. Another advantage is that it can not cause allergy.