3 Advantages To Porcelain Inlays You May Not Have Considered
Posted on: 27 March 2016
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Are you trying to decide between having a dental inlay made of a metal or porcelain? If so, you've probably already considered the cost of each, and that a metal inlay will be much more noticeable than a porcelain one. However, there are a few other things you might not have considered that you should think about before making your decision.
Safe For MRIs Whether you're currently in good health or regularly go in for diagnostic scans like MRIs, you should keep them in mind before making your choice. MRI machines create magnetic fields when they run scans, which may react with certain metals used in dental work.
The effect of a metal inlay on an MRI scan varies, depending on the size and where the scan needs to be performed. If it's large enough, the scan may need to be cancelled, or else the inlay could be ripped out by the magnetic field. In more minor cases, it may distort the image of the MRI.
Porcelain inlays don't contain metal that can conflict with MRI scans, so you don't have to worry about your teeth if you ever need a scan in the future.
No Airport Problems
Another good reason for a porcelain inlay is that you don't have to worry about carrying documentation or proof of your dental work when you go to the airport. If you have metal in your teeth, it may trigger a metal detector or be visible on the full body scanners used by the TSA.
Porcelain, on the other hand, won't be visible on the scans and doesn't contain any metal to set off metal detectors, so carrying documentation isn't necessary.
Easier on Stressed Jaws
Porcelain inlays are also a good choice if you have jaw problems or you find it uncomfortable to have your mouth open for prolonged periods of time.
Metal and composite inlays are placed in your mouth like fillings; they need to be carefully placed in the hole in your teeth, and then they have to allow time for it to solidify.
When you have a porcelain inlay placed, on the other hand, your dentist will quickly mold your tooth, and send it to a lab to have the inlay created. Once it arrives back at the dentist's office, your dentist can quickly place it in your tooth and seal it. Since it already perfectly matches the hole in your tooth, it won't take the dentist as long to get it set up.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what kind of inlay you think will suit you best. Porcelain inlays do have a lot of benefits to them, however, so make sure to keep them in mind.
To learn more about porcelain inlays, contact a dentist like Dr. David K. Skeels.