Got broken or otherwise damaged teeth, or mild to moderate tooth decay? Porcelain inlays are used where the amount of tooth structure lost, whether from wear, decay or trauma, is too great for a filling to work, but where a crown is not required.
Here at Portmore Dental, we’ve been helping our patients restore their smiles with porcelain inlays for many years, so you can trust that you’re in the best hands.
To find out more about porcelain inlays, or to book a consultation with our experts, talk to our friendly reception team today!
Porcelain inlay procedure
An inlay is made from porcelain, a beautiful material that’s indistinguishable from natural teeth and causes no reaction in the surrounding gum, designed to repair the central part of a back tooth.
The inlay is designed in a dental laboratory, based on a model we create from impressions of your mouth at our Weybridge dental practice, and fits snugly into the cavity of your damaged tooth.
It is then bonded into place, creating a strong, hard-wearing restoration that enables you to chew without fear of the tooth cracking or chipping.
Our high-quality porcelain inlays will blend in beautifully with your natural tooth colour, creating a virtually invisible restoration.
When fitting an inlay, your dentist will use a local anaesthetic to numb the area around the tooth before a drill, air abrasion instrument or laser is used to remove the decayed area — the choice of instrument depends on the location and extent of the decay.
Once the decay has been removed, your dentist will prepare the space for the inlay by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris and if the decay is near the root they may insert a liner to protect the nerve.
Who is suitable for porcelain inlays?
No matter how well you look after your teeth, damage is sometimes inevitable.
We may recommend porcelain inlays and onlays to patients who:
- Wish to replace old fillings
- Have a broken, cracked or decayed tooth structure that does not affect the cusps of the tooth
- Have damage severe enough to need large composite resin or silver fillings that could weaken the remaining tooth structure
- Are not suitable for a dental crown, as the severity of the damage does not allow for the removal of enough tooth material
Benefits of porcelain inlays
- They are indistinguishable from your natural teeth
- They strengthen damaged back teeth and are hard wearing
- They require less removal of tooth tissue than crowns
- They are a good alternative to fillings where too much tooth structure is lost
Find out more about porcelain inlays at Portmore Dental!
To find out more about porcelain inlays and whether they’re the right fit for you, book a consultation at our Weybridge dental practice today.
You can call our reception team at 01932 953 252, or head over to our online booking system to view our availability and select a date and time that best suits your schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Porcelain Inlays FAQs
