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Fillings

Gold and ceramic inlays

When do I need an inlay ?

When a piece of tooth is lost due to caries, or other reasons, the tooth should be rebuilt. This has the purpose of preventing further tooth damage.

What types of treatments are available after caries removal?

After removal of a carious area, different materials are available for restoration depending on the extent of the damage. Classic resin fillings are popular for small fillings or the reconstruction of individual parts of the tooth in the anterior or posterior region, but they are often of limited quality. For larger tooth damage in the posterior region, where larger areas of the tooth or even cusps have broken away, gold or ceramic inlays offer the possibility of returning the tooth to its original functionality.

To make gold or ceramic inlays, a replacement part is produced in the laboratory after an intraoral scan and inserted in a second session. The accuracy of fit is much more precise than with fillings designed directly in the mouth, such as amalgam or plastic, because the missing tooth piece is individually adapted. The advantage of gold and ceramic inlays is their better marginal density and thus durability compared to conventional fillings such as plastic or amalgam. The individual adaptation results in a smaller gap between the inlay and the tooth, which is perfectly filled by special cements for gold or ceramic inlays. This minimizes the problem of shrinkage or change of material properties and thus gap formation at the edge of fillings. If you have any questions about the restoration after caries removal, please feel free to book an appointment with us.

What is the difference between gold and ceramic inlays ?

Gold = metal shades, only one shade possible

Ceramic = tooth shades, is matched to the color of the adjacent teeth.

In addition to the color, the material properties also play a decisive role. Ceramic has the aesthetic advantage of disappearing into the surrounding structure, but is somewhat more brittle and has the reputation of breaking more easily. Gold, on the other hand, has the advantage of being softer due to its metal properties and is therefore perceived as more pleasant. Gold inlays, however, are much more visible.

What is the best choice for each patient is always best found out during a personal consultation.