If the dentist finds that the inlays or onlays are suitable for your needs , they offer several advantages over the resin/amalgam fillings or crowns:
Advantages / Disadvantages compared to fillings:
- Inlays / onlays are more secure than simple fillings because they increase the strength of the tooth. The use of large resin fillings or amalgam has a high risk of fracture of the tooth.
- They last much longer than conventional fillings. Their lifespan is 10-15 years.
- Not affected by temperature changes.Very hot or cold foods cause changes in the size of amalgam fillings on the healthy dental tissue in which they are based.
- The ceramic inlays and onlays offer excellent aesthetic and natural appearance, much better even than the white resin fillings. They do not discolor with time.
- They require at least two visits to the dentist because they are manufactured by a dental technician in the laboratory, while the fillings are prepared directly in the mouth in one visit.
- They cost considerably more than common fillings.
Advantages / Disadvantages compared to crowns:
- The inlays and onlays require removal of much less amount of healthy tissue from the tooth during placement in relation to a crown which needs perimetric grinding of the tooth.
- They offer the same excellent color effect with crowns, but they blend better in with the rest of the tooth without the aesthetic disadvantage of crowns ,the obvious boundaries of the crown and gums .
- They cost less than crowns due to the smaller quantity of porcelain or other material required.
- Although they are very durable, they are slightly inferior in tensile strength in relation to crowns.
Athina Tsiorva