Dental caries can be debilitating since it may leave you with a compromised tooth structure and function. It is a prevailing dental problem globally that may even leave you toothless if not treated on time. Prompt restoration with inlays can help restore a severely decayed tooth involving a large surface area. 

The dental specialists at the South Reno dentist office are highly experienced professionals who specialize in porcelain inlays. These restorations are successfully customized to match your natural tooth form and color.

What is a porcelain inlay? 

Inlays are larger than regular fillings but smaller than crowns. They can be customized using gold, porcelain, or resin. Porcelain inlays are a tooth-colored, aesthetic restoration that is fabricated indirectly. Dentists use a model fabricated from oral impressions to design an appropriate inlay restoration. 

Why do dentists use porcelain inlays?

Porcelain inlays find their application in the following situations in dentistry: 

• Broken or fractured teeth, sparing the teeth cusps 
• Large cavities that cannot be restored by regular fillings
• Cosmetic rejuvenation of the tooth
• Fractured or cracked restorations 

How are porcelain inlays fabricated?

Porcelain inlays are fabricated outside the mouth, following the below-given procedure: 

During the first appointment

• Your dentist will evaluate the affected tooth and remove the decayed and infected tissue, using ultrasonic instruments. 
• The tooth will be prepared accordingly, and only the desired amount will be removed to ensure the inlay fits the tooth snugly.
• Multiple accurate impressions of the prepared tooth will be recorded and sent to the lab.
• To protect your prepared tooth from sensitivity, your dentist will provide a temporary filling.

During the second appointment 

• After about a week, your new inlay will be precisely cemented into your tooth
• Necessary adjustments will be made by your dentist so that the inlay fits the tooth well and your bite is comfortable.

How are porcelain inlays beneficial?

Porcelain inlays are increasingly popular restorations due to the following benefits: 

• Aesthetically superior since they blend with the natural tooth easily
• Offer stain resistance
• Save you from extensive dental procedures like root canal therapy and crowns
• Preserve most of the natural tooth structure
• Provides additional strength to your teeth to withstand the masticatory forces and pressure 
• Are cost-effective 
• Are durable and long-lasting with proper oral care
• Effectively restore a failed dental filling 

Takeaway 

Porcelain inlays are valuable restorative procedures, offering a variety of dental benefits. Investing in such restorations can go a long way in reviving your damaged teeth, and restoring oral health, form, function, and aesthetics.