Inlays/Onlays

A recent survey was conducted among dentists asking them to respond to the following question: “If you were in the situation to have your own chewing tooth needing a filling, which filling material/procedure would you choose: amalgam (mercury filling), composite, gold or ceramic?” The vast majority of dentists responded: ceramic inlays or onlays! This is considered the new gold standard in restorative dentistry for medium to large cavities.

The ceramic is the closest material in terms of chemical structure and physical properties to our own tooth structure. The challenge was to obtain a perfect piece, in a timely manner in order to restore a damaged tooth to it’s initial parameters. Using a CAD/CAM technology made this dentist’s dream a reality. After numbing the area and removing the decay, the dentist will take a 3D picture of your teeth and will design the restoration on the computer. A milling machine will translate the digital imagine into the final ceramic product. After adjusting and polishing, the ceramic inlay is physically and chemically bonded in the tooth cavity. It is a proven technology with amazing results. The success rate at 10 years is more than 90%, at par if not better than the gold restorations.

One of the drawbacks of this procedure is that it requires a substantial investment in technology, materials and special training from the dentist. We are very proud to being able to provide our patients with the option of direct inlays and onlays as a restorative procedure.

If you want to find out if ceramic inlays are an option for your specific case please book a consultation with Dr. Octavian Tetelbaum. He will be happy to discuss with you the procedure and share with you similar cases that he successfully treated.