Explains when an indirect composite inlay is indicated and contraindicated, and sets out its advantages and disadvantages in a comparison table. Covers preparation rules such as diverging walls, butt joints, thickness and isthmus widths, with a comparison figure of gold and composite preparations. Also describes direct-indirect, laboratory and CAD/CAM fabrication, then the step-by-step adhesive cementation under rubber dam, followed by common mistakes.
Topic 29 of 53 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Preclinics of Conservative Dental Medicine (Dental Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 7 sections, about 853 words (7 min of reading), with 17 flashcards.
In this note
Introduction
Indications, advantages and disadvantages
Preparation
Fabrication
Adhesive cementation
Main mistakes
Key points
Introduction
An indirect composite inlay is an intracoronal restoration made of resin composite outside the mouth – on a model in the laboratory or chairside – and then bonded into the cavity with resin cement. It suits medium to large Class I and II cavities in premolars and molars, where a direct composite is hard to shape and shrinks under high stress. It works only if preparation, isolation and adhesive cementation are right.
Indications, advantages and disadvantages
Indications: large Class I and II cavities, especially with a wide isthmus or several surfaces (MOD); replacing large amalgams; contacts and anatomy hard to build directly; several restorations in one quadrant; a tooth-coloured option cheaper than ceramic.
Contraindications: small cavities (direct composite is better); bruxism and heavy occlusal load; deep subgingival margins without enamel (isolation and bonding fail); high caries risk, poor hygiene; weak cusps, which need cusp coverage (onlay).
Main idea: the composite is polymerised before it enters the tooth, so only the thin layer of resin cement shrinks in the cavity.
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