What Happens During A Dental Inlay Procedure?

With the large variety of dental restorations available, it is no surprise that people are not entirely sure what a dental inlay is. Fortunately, we can explain what an inlay is and help to determine if an inlay may be the solution for you. If you want more information, give us a call to schedule an appointment.

What are Dental Inlays?

A dental inlay is an indirectly fabricated restoration to repair decayed or chipped teeth. The term "indirect fabrication" refers to preparing a tooth for an inlay in which we create the impression of the tooth to develop exact placement and measurements. A dental lab will make the restoration of the tooth with the replica for a perfect fit.

We will then glue the inlay to the tooth. In most instances, this connection occurs at a separate appointment. We can make the actual inlay itself from one of many materials including gold, resin, or ceramic.

When are Inlays Prescribed?

We will prescribe an inlay when it is challenging to restore a tooth to its regular shape and return proper contact with the nearby teeth. We will review a patient's oral health history, medical history, medications and so on before considering the treatment. Anyone who has a replacement joint should let their dentist know. An antibiotic might be necessary for an inlay candidate who has a replacement heart valve or a heart murmur.

Thankfully, we remove minimal tooth structure during the inlay placement procedure as opposed to the amount necessary for onlays or crowns. Think of inlays as fairly similar to fillings. However, we have professionals make inlays a laboratory setting with computer-aided design programs.

The Actual Dental Inlay Procedure

Once the day of the treatment arrives, we will review the procedure with the patient. The patient can ask any last-minute questions that they did not ask before. A member of the dental team will provide a topical numbing gel to the site of anesthetic injection to decrease injection discomfort. We can complete certain inlay preparations without an anesthetic.

However, if we provide a local anesthetic, then the patient will not feel much more than a minor pinch if anything at all. Once this occurs, the site will tingle and feel numb for a few hours. Once the teeth are fully numb, the dentist will apply a rubber dam so you do not swallow decay that is rich in bacteria or old filling material. We will then remove the infected or damaged portion of the tooth before we insert the inlay.

We might use a caries detection dye that has the potential to leave a stain on sites with less obvious decay. This way, we can eliminate all decay without cutting out excessive tooth structure. If the cavity is especially deep, we might apply a base layer to insulate or medicate the pulp of the tooth. Once the final delivery appointment arrives, re-anesthetization might be necessary. We will remove the temporary filling and bond the inlay, along with any adjustments to the bite as necessary.

Call Us Today for More Information About Dental Inlays

Are you considering a dental inlay procedure? We can help. Schedule an appointment with us so we can assess your mouth and figure out the optimal treatment modality.