Fillings

If you’ve had a cavity, you’ve probably had fillings put into your mouth. And depending on when you had them done, your fillings might have been made of grey metal amalgam – a combination of silver, tin, copper, and mercury.

These days, dentists rarely use amalgam fillings on their patients. Instead, they use “white fillings,” which are made from composite resin. This change has led some people to wonder: are the new fillings better than the old – and should you replace your old silver fillings?

White Fillings

White fillings are dental fillings made from composite dental resin. As their name suggests, white fillings are white, which means they blend more seamlessly with the rest of your teeth. No more flashes of silver when you speak or laugh!

Benefits

What makes white fillings safer than the old-fashioned, silver ones? Two words: no mercury. About 50% of a silver amalgam filling is made from mercury, which can cause health problems among some patients. Resin fillings do not contain any mercury, and therefore they do not carry this particular risk.

Additionally, composite fillings are stronger and more durable than their silver counterparts. White fillings do not expand or contract in response to temperature changes (the way metal fillings do). Therefore, they will not put extra strain on your teeth.

Another benefit of white fillings is that they are bonded directly onto the tooth. The resin effectively acts like asphalt filling a pothole; once the cavity is filled, the tooth is stronger than it was before. Silver fillings do not use this same bonding process, and they are less durable because of it.