Fillings

July 30, 2010

Resin-based composites (tooth-colored fillings) and amalgam (silver-colored fillings) are both used as options for restorations on posterior (back) teeth. Both materials are safe and effective. Composites are generally more expensive, and may result in higher costs for the group or patient.

Delta Dental recommends that patients consult with their dentists to determine which type of filling is best for a particular restoration.

Amalgam fillings

Dental amalgam is an alloy made by combining elemental mercury, silver, and other metals. Because of its mercury content, some have expressed concern about the safety of amalgam fillings. However, the American Dental Association, National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have all issued statements saying that dental amalgam is a safe, reliable and effective restorative material. Used by dentists for more than a century, dental amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material among all those in use

Amalgam advantages:

Excellent durability
Easy to use
Highly resistance to wear
Relatively inexpensive in comparison to other materials
Useful in areas where a cavity preparation is difficult to keep dry during the filling replacement, such as in deep fillings below the gum line

Composite fillings

Composite (tooth colored) fillings are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin medium that produces a tooth-colored filling. They are sometimes referred to as composites or filled resins.

Composite advantages:

Good choice for small-to-mid size restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure.
Less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth, and this may result in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam
Composites can also be "bonded" or adhesively held in a cavity, often allowing the dentist to make a more conservative repair to the tooth
More aesthetically appealing