inlay

Under a inlay becomes a Insert filling Roger that. It is used in dentistry.

What is an inlay?

Inlay is the English name for an inlay filling that is inserted into a damaged tooth as part of a dental treatment.

Inlay is the English name for an inlay filling that is inserted into a damaged tooth as part of a dental treatment. In this way, tooth defects that are usually caused by tooth decay can be treated.

An inlay is a long-term, 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 a crown to be inserted.

Before the insertion, the tooth substance affected by caries must be removed by the dentist. In addition, a complex preparation of the tooth is required, which requires a high degree of accuracy.

Shapes, types & types

Dental inlays are made up of different materials. The most common inlay fillings include inlays made of gold, ceramic, galvanic ceramic, plastic or titanium. Gold inlays are particularly popular. These are considered to have a particularly long shelf life. In addition, they show the best values ​​for the compatibility of the material and the accuracy of fit. The metals added to the gold are extremely important because the softness of pure gold is very high. Nowadays, so-called biogold alloys are used, the metal admixtures of which have no harmful effects on health. In rare cases there is a risk of a gold allergy.

Ceramic inlays are tooth-colored inlay fillings. For aesthetic reasons, they are primarily placed in the area of ​​the front teeth. The durability of ceramic inlays is rated as high. In addition, they are easy to customize. One disadvantage, however, is that they can be processed less finely than gold inlays. The thickness must not be less than 1.5 millimeters. Electroplated ceramics offer an alternative. It represents a mixture of ceramic and gold.

Another variant is the zirconium ceramic inlay. This is milled out of a blank in a dental laboratory with a special computer-aided 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 resistant. Even crowns and bridges can be made from the material.

Structure & functionality

The structure of tooth inlays is different. Since people's teeth are different, there are also several types of inlay. These are single, double and triple inlays. Single-surface inlays are used to treat tooth defects where the edge of the inlay is limited by the chewing 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.

The two-surface inlay is larger than a single-surface inlay. It is not only limited by the chewing surface, but also by the wall of the neighboring tooth. A three-surface inlay is used for major damage to the tooth. It is delimited both by the chewing surface and by both walls on the right and left of the neighboring tooth.

As part of the dental treatment, the dentist glues the inlay into the remaining substance of the tooth. He usually uses a composite cement to fix the inlay. The cement enables the inlay to be connected to the tooth substance on a dual-curing basis. Light and chemical curing creates an optimal seal.

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, it is also possible to use the CERES procedure, in which an optical impression is made with an intraoral camera. For technical reasons, there is a small gap between the inlay and the tooth, which is sealed with fastening material. The sealing with the artificial material is particularly important in order to prevent caries from penetrating into the interdental spaces.

After successful insertion, the inlay can perform its function of replacing the removed tooth substance.

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Medical & health benefits

The use of inlays has several advantages 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 are hardly any allergic reactions to fear. When chewing, the stability is just as good as with a natural tooth. In addition, an inlay cannot be aesthetically differentiated from a natural tooth.

The disadvantage, however, is the higher treatment effort. The insertion of a tooth inlay takes at least two sessions. Furthermore, the treatment costs are relatively high. They can be very different depending on the dentist, dental laboratory and materials.

The durability of tooth inlays is considered to be very good. Gold inlay fillings, on average, are between 10 and 15 years old. The average lifespan of ceramic inlays is around 10 years. Inlays made of plastic, on the other hand, are not so durable. The length of the shelf life depends u. a. according to the size and position of the inlay.

Dental hygiene also plays an important role. Good care is particularly important for inlay fillings glued in with fastening composite. So the synthetic cement is on the surface, to which bacteria adhere very well. In addition, the germs can multiply faster on the plastic than on the natural tooth substance.