Patients often get given the option of having tooth coloured composite fillings instead of silver amalgam fillings.
The composite fillings do hide the fact that you have fillings in your mouth but are there any benefits of having composite fillings instead of amalgam fillings?
Most people will say no to composite fillings due the price as they are a little bit more then normal amalgam fillings but we will let you decide after reading below to see which type you will choose on your next visit.
ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITE (WHITE) FILLINGS:
Since they bond to the tooth, composite fillings restore most of the original strength of the tooth. Silver weakens the teeth, making them more susceptible to breaking. Since broken teeth are very expensive to restore, composites can save a lot of expense over the long run.
Composite fillings restore the natural appearance of the tooth.
Teeth restored with white fillings are less sensitive to hot and cold than teeth restored with amalgam, if correct techniques are used.
Composites are mercury-free. Mercury in the fillings is viewed by some as being toxic.
Composites require less removal of tooth structure. Especially with new cavities, the size of the hole made for the filling can be dramatically smaller with composites.
ADVANTAGES OF SILVER AMALGAM FILLINGS:
They are generally less expensive. Composite fillings, if they are done correctly, take about 60% longer, require special expertise and expensive materials, and are more difficult to place, and so they cost considerably more than silver.
Composite requires the use of special bonding technology that many dentists are uncomfortable with.
The proper placement of a white filling requires that the site for the filling be kept totally isolated from saliva while it is being placed. In the very back of the mouth, on some patients, it is difficult to keep the tooth isolated for the duration of the procedure. A silver amalgam filling does not require this strict isolation of the tooth.
The filling by itself is a stronger material, although it weakens the tooth.
Silver fillings have a longer history of use than mercury-free fillings, thus some feel that they are more tried and tested.
