Advanced Zirconia Inlay Solutions

At Istar Dental Lab, a top dental lab in the world, we are focused on improving how teeth are restored using excellent accuracy, deep knowledge of dental materials, and modern digital methods. Our promise to do great work makes sure that every zirconia inlay we make fits perfectly, works well, and looks great. This helps dentists, clinics, hospitals, and other labs give patients the best results.

The Istar Zirconia Inlay: Strength and Beauty in One

Zirconia inlays are a key part of modern dental repair, providing a strong and good-looking option for fixing back teeth. An inlay is a custom-made repair that fits inside the points of a tooth and is mainly used for medium to large Class II cavities.

Our zirconia inlay helps you practice dentistry that saves tooth structure. This means you save more of the healthy tooth. We make each zirconia inlay custom for your patient. It is incredibly strong and looks so natural, you won’t be able to tell it apart from a real tooth.

What Makes Our Zirconia Inlay Special?

A zirconia inlay is a type of repair made outside the mouth. Unlike a filling, we make it in our lab and you attach it to the tooth. We use the best CAD/CAM dentistry technology. This means every inlay is made with computer-aided design and manufacturing for a perfect fit at the edges.

Here’s why you should choose the Istar zirconia inlay for your practice:

• Great Strength: They have amazing flexural strength (typically 900–1200 MPa for conventional zirconia) and fracture toughness, which is much better than lithium disilicate and composite resins. This makes them very unlikely to break from chewing.
• Wears Down Slowly: Zirconia is very good at resisting wear, helping it last a long time and keeping the bite stable.
• Strong Edges: Zirconia doesn’t shrink when hardened or break down in water, leading to a great long-lasting seal at the edges and less chance of new cavities.
• Safe for the Body: Zirconia is very safe and accepted by the mouth’s tissues.

When to Use Zirconia Inlays

Our experience and deep research show that zirconia inlays are perfect for:

• Back Teeth with Medium to Large Cavities: Especially in molars, where chewing forces are strong.
• For Patients with a Strong Bite: Patients with strong biting forces or habits like teeth grinding (bruxism) benefit from zirconia’s natural strength.
• Saving Tooth Structure: Compared to full crowns, inlays mean removing less of the tooth, saving more of the healthy tooth.
• When a Long-Lasting Fix is Needed: For patients wanting solutions that last a long time with excellent resistance to wear.

Clinical Success and How Long They Last

Our dedication to making things precisely directly leads to the high success rates we see with zirconia inlays. Recent studies show five-year survival rates between 92–97%. Careful gluing steps are very important to make it last.

Our Materials: The Best from the Best

Understanding the detailed science of the material is key to making great inlays. At Istar Dental Lab, we use our deep knowledge of zirconia’s different types to choose the best material for what each case needs.

Different Types of Zirconia for Every Job

• 3Y-TZP (High Strength): Known for its amazing flexural strength (900–1200 MPa), it is great for back teeth that take a lot of pressure, where strength is most important.
• 4Y-TZP & 5Y-TZP (High Translucency): These newer types offer a good mix of strength (500-900 MPa) and a better see-through look, making them good for areas where looks matter more.
• Multi-layered/Gradient Zirconias: These advanced materials have changing levels of yttria and color, copying the look of a natural tooth. The top layers have a more see-through look, while the bottom layers keep more strength.

Mechanical Properties at a Glance

Alternative Materials

We also work with other materials like porcelain inlay, composite inlay, and even the traditional gold inlay. We can also help you replace an old amalgam filling. Compared to other all-ceramic options like lithium disilicate (brand name e.max®), zirconia often has better strength.

The Istar Digital Workflow: Easy and Precise

Our complete digital process is the foundation for making precise zirconia inlays. This connected process makes sure we get excellent accuracy, speed, and consistent results from the first scan to the finished product.

• Getting Accurate Scans: We use top intraoral scanners that always give us accuracy better than 20μm, and we use AI to check the scans for errors.
• Smart Computer Design: Our advanced CAD software includes smart AI tools to find the edges very accurately and uses smart programs to automatically create the biting surface.
• Accurate Milling: For tricky inlay shapes, our 5-axis milling machines give amazing accuracy, greatly cutting down on hand-finishing and making sure the edges fit perfectly.
• Better Heating Process: We use advanced heating ovens that can use fast heating schedules, making the whole process much faster without weakening it or making it less see-through.

Top-Level Quality Control

At Istar Dental Lab, quality control is a core belief and is part of every step of making our products.

• Checking the Fit Digitally: The fit is checked regularly using advanced software. Our internal goals are to have gaps at the edges that are much smaller than the industry standard, usually aiming for less than 50 μm.
• Making it Look Natural: We use advanced tools to measure color for accurate matching. Our expert technicians use special staining and layering methods to copy the small details of a real tooth.
• A Smooth, Polished Surface: Our strict polishing steps make sure all zirconia inlays have a smooth, shiny surface. This reduces wear on the opposite tooth, keeping it at a safe level for patients.

Clinical Guide for Success

Here are some tips for placing an Istar zirconia inlay. They will help you get a great-looking result and a happy patient.

• Tooth Preparation: A good prep is key. It should remove as little tooth as possible to save the tooth structure.
• Temporary Restoration: Place a temporary restoration while we make the permanent one.
• Try-In and Surface Treatment: Before bonding, try in the inlay. If you need to adjust it, clean it with a product like ZirClean®. We recommend sandblasting the bonding surface with aluminium oxide. Do not use hydrofluoric acid etch on zirconia. For zirconia, a special primer is best.
• Bonding (Cementation): Isolate the tooth with a rubber dam. Use a strong bonding cement. Use a curing light to fully harden materials like TEGDMA or Bis-GMA.
• Occlusal Adjustment: After bonding, check the bite with articulating paper. Make any small adjustments to the bite with a fine dental bur.

This process helps avoid problems like coming loose, chipping, new cavities, sensitivity after the procedure, or color changes at the edges.

Why Partner with Istar Dental Lab?

Choosing the right dental lab directly affects your success with patients. We have all the qualities of a top partner.

• Our Technology: We use the most advanced CAD/CAM systems, the newest 5-axis milling units, and high-quality 3D printers to improve accuracy and make the process smoother.
• Our Knowledge of Materials: We have a lot of experience with all types of zirconia, allowing us to choose the best material based on what each case needs for flexural strength and translucency.
• Our Certifications: We hold certifications for medical device manufacturing, showing that we follow the top international quality rules.
• Results You Can Trust: Labs with modern digital methods and careful process checks, like ours, always have much lower remake rates (usually less than 2%) and a better fit at the edges.