Fillings in Tooth Shades (Composite Fillings)
Gone are the days of silver fillings, which used to look black and leak with time leading to caries again in the same tooth.
The adhesive bond between composites and enamel is achieved through etching and application of primer to the tooth’s surface. In this way, even fragile teeth are strengthened. For almost every tooth shade there is a similarly shaded composite available, almost always allowing perfect aesthetic adaptation of the filling.
Advantages and disadvantages of composite resin fillings
Ceramic Inlays (Porcelain Inlays)
Ever more patients express the wish to replace their old amalgam fillings with a biocompatible and durable material. From an aesthetic view, ceramic inlays are regarded as the top of all available alternatives. What is an inlay?
Ceramic inlay
Inlays are indirect fillings applied in back teeth (premolars, molars). After removal of the old, defect filling or caries, an impression is made of the cavity (that is the drilled out defect). A filling is then made in the laboratory from gold or ceramic, which fits the cavity with the utmost precision and restores the original form of the tooth. In the second session, the inlay is cemented into place. Large inlays which cover the cusps are referred to as onlays.
Can all teeth be fitted with ceramic inlays?
In principle, all back teeth (molars and premolars) can be fitted with porcelain inlays. Front teeth (incisors and canines), on the other hand, are treated with composites. Only in cases where the defect (caries or filling) reaches deep under the gum, or where the remaining tooth substance is weak and brittle (for example root-canal-treated teeth), is a crown the better and lasting alternative. Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic inlays
- Exceptional aesthetics
- Long-term durability
- Strengthening of the teeth
- Ideal biocompatibility
- Fairly expensive
- Occasional bite sensitivity
- Time-consuming, two sessions required
- Defects reaching under the gums can be problematic
