An inlay is understood to be an insert filling. It is used in dentistry.
What is an inlay?
Inlay is the English name for an insert filling that is placed in a damaged tooth as part of dental treatment. Inlay is the English name for an insert filling that is placed in a damaged tooth as part of dental treatment. In this way, tooth defects that are usually caused by caries can be treated. An inlay is considered a long-term and high-quality alternative to a dental filling made of plastic, amalgam or cement. It is used when the defect in the tooth is fortunately not yet large enough for the insertion of a crown. Before insertion, the tooth substance affected by caries must be removed by the dentist. It also requires extensive preparation of the tooth, which requires a high degree of accuracy.
Shapes, types and kinds
Dental inlays are composed of various materials. The most common inlay fillings include inlays made of gold, ceramic, electroplated ceramic, plastic or titanium. Gold inlays are particularly popular. They are considered to be particularly durable. They also have the best values for material compatibility and accuracy of fit. The metals added to the gold are extremely important because the softness of pure gold is very high. Nowadays, so-called bio-gold alloys are used, whose metal admixtures have no harmful effects on health. In rare cases there is a risk of gold allergy. Ceramic inlays are tooth-colored fillings. They are primarily placed in the anterior teeth for esthetic reasons. The durability of ceramic inlays is considered to be high. In addition, they are easy to fit. One disadvantage, however, is that they can be less finely machined than inlays made of gold. For example, the thickness must not be less than 1.5 millimeters. Galvanic ceramic offers an alternative. It is a mixture of ceramic and gold. Another variant is the zirconium ceramic inlay. This is milled out of a blank in a dental laboratory using a special computer-assisted milling machine. This blank consists of a zirconium oxide block. The blank is then given a coating of tooth-colored ceramic material. The combination of zirconium and ceramic has the advantage of being very durable. Even crowns and bridges can be made from the material.
Structure and mode of operation
The structure of dental inlays is different. Since people’s teeth are different, there are also several types of inlays. These are single-surface, double-surface and triple-surface inlays. Single-surface inlays are used for the treatment of dental defects where there is a limitation of the inlay edge by the occlusal surface. If the hole in the tooth exceeds a certain size, it must be closed with a single-surface inlay instead of a conventional filling. A two-surface inlay filling is larger than a single-surface inlay. Its limitation is not only by the occlusal surface, but also by the wall of the adjacent tooth. In case of larger damage to the tooth, a three-surface inlay is used. It is limited both by the occlusal surface and by both walls on the right and left side of the neighboring tooth. During the dental treatment, the dentist glues the inlay into the remaining substance of the tooth. To fix the inlay, he usually uses a composite cement. The cement allows the inlay to bond to the tooth substance on a dual-curing basis. This creates an optimal seal through light and chemical curing. If it is a ceramic inlay, an impression must first be made by the dentist. This is then used by the dental technician to create the inlay. Alternatively, the CERES procedure can be used, in which an optical impression is taken with an intraoral camera. For technical reasons, there is a small gap between the inlay and the tooth, which is sealed with luting material. Sealing with the artificial material is particularly important to prevent caries from entering the interdental spaces. After successful placement, the inlay can perform its function of replacing the removed tooth structure.
Medical and health benefits
The use of inlays has several benefits to offer the patient.The accuracy of fit of the inlay fillings is very high. In addition, there is a color fastness of almost one hundred percent. Due to the extensive biocompatibility, there is hardly any risk of allergic reactions. When chewing, the stability is just as good as with a natural tooth. In addition, an inlay is aesthetically indistinguishable from a natural tooth. The disadvantage, however, is that it requires more treatment. For example, the insertion of a dental inlay requires at least two sessions. Furthermore, the treatment costs are relatively high. They can vary greatly depending on the dentist, dental laboratory and materials. The durability of dental inlays is considered to be very good. Gold inlays, for example, reach an average age of between 10 and 15 years. In the case of ceramic inlays, the average lifespan is about 10 years. Inlays made of plastic, on the other hand, do not last as long. The length of durability depends, among other things, on the size and position of the inlay. Dental hygiene also plays an important role. Especially in the case of inlays cemented in place with luting composite, good care is extremely important. For example, the resin cement is located on the surface, to which bacteria adhere very well. In addition, germs can multiply more rapidly on the resin than on the natural tooth substance.
