Liverpool Dentist - Inlays

An inlay is a type of filling that is made in the laboratory and then bonded into the tooth to be restored to  bring it back to its natural shape. If a tooth is heavily broken down, a tooth coloured filling is not always strong enough to last very long, and if a lot of the existing tooth has been lost a crown may not be the best option. This is where inlays are ideal. Because they are made in the laboratory they can be carefully shaped to match the teeth before they are finally put in your mouth. They cost more than a simple filling but where indicated they provide a better solution. Inlays used to be made from gold, but now we have a choice of modern state of the art materials such as porcelain or Artglass. See picture gallery)

The procedure is similar to a crown, the tooth which is to have the inlay is carefully shaped, an impression is taken of the tooth which is sent to a dental laboratory. The laboratory makes the inlay which is then bonded into the tooth on a second visit.

Well fitted inlays will provide a high quality tooth coloured restoration which will provide many years service if correctly maintained.