Composite & Silver Fillings
A dental filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. If you have a tooth that requires a filling, the dentist will first remove the decayed tooth material, clean the affected area, and then fill the cleaned out cavity with a filling material. A filling also helps prevent further decay by closing off any cracks or spaces where bacteria can enter.
Composite Fillings
Composite resin fillings (also known as white fillings) are custom-made to match the exact colour of your natural teeth, creating a more natural appearance. Your tooth can be restored to its original function with an aesthetically pleasing result.
Composite restorations are used on anterior and posterior (front and back) teeth.
Silver Fillings
Amalgam (silver) fillings are used to repair teeth that have decayed. Amalgam is made of several metals, principally silver, tin and copper. These are combined, using mercury, into a soft mixture.
Silver fillings are a more affordable choice and are more durable. However, due to their dark colour, they are more noticeable than porcelain or composite restorations and are usually not placed in very visible areas, such as front teeth.
A major advantage of amalgam fillings is that they have the potential to last multiple decades. Although a patient can develop new tooth decay around a filling at any time, it is not unusual for a small amalgam filling to last 20 or 30 years.