Porcelain Inlay Restorations

By Ana M. Arango, DDS

When you have cavities or old silver fillings, you have choices to make to decide how you want the filling to look. One of those choices is to have a porcelain inlay.

Porcelain inlays are indirect restorations or fillings made of porcelain. They are carefully prepared in a dental laboratory and fitted into cavities.

Once the dentist has prepared the tooth by removing decay from the cavity, an inlay can be fitted into place. The porcelain is matched to the color of the tooth and looks very natural.

Inlays are the best alternative for patients that have old large amalgams (silver fillings) with open margins, secondary decay and tooth fracture as a result. Almalgam fillings rely on the tooth structure to hold them in place, which puts more pressure on the tooth causing fissures and cracks.

Because an inlay is cemented into place, it actually holds the tooth together giving it more strength and preventing problems in the future. So, an inlay helps preserve the tooth structure, preventing the tooth or restoration from fracturing. Cementing the inlay in place provides a perfect seal and therefore less chances of secondary decay.

In addition to this, inlays can be very cosmeticly created. The shape of the tooth, and both the shade and colors are customized to every patient's existing teeth.

The procedure usually takes two visits. In the first appointment the dentist prepares the tooth for inlay after removing the old restoration and the decay. Then an impression is taken and sent to the dental laboratory to fabricate the porcelain inlay.

In the second visit the inlay is placed and adjusted, an x-ray is taken to verify the fitting; if everything is perfect the restoration is cemented with permanent resin cement.

So if you have large, old silver fillings in your mouth and you desire to replace them, ask your dentist about the porcelain inlay alternative.