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Thanks to advances in modern dental materials and techniques, dentists have more ways to create pleasing, natural-looking smiles. Dental researchers are continuing their often decades-long work developing materials, such as ceramics and polymer compounds that look more like natural teeth. As a result, dentists and patients today have several choices when it comes to selecting materials to repair missing, worn, damaged or decayed teeth.
Composite Fillings
Composite 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.
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Provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small-to-mid size restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure
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Less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth, resulting in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam
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Can be "bonded" or adhesively held in a cavity, often allowing the dentist to make a more conservative repair to the tooth
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Moderate priced which depends on the size of the filling and the technique used by the dentist to place it in the prepared tooth
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It takes longer to place a composite filling than what is required for an amalgam filling
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Composite fillings require a cavity that can be kept clean and dry during filling and they are subject to stain and discoloration over time
Amalgam Fillings
It is durable, easy to use, highly resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive in  comparison to other materials. For those reasons, it remains a valued treatment option for dentists and their patients.
Dental amalgam is a stable alloy made by combining elemental mercury, silver, tin, copper and possibly other metallic elements. Although dental amalgam continues to be a safe, commonly used restorative material, some concern has been raised because of its mercury content. However, the mercury in amalgam combines with other metals to render it stable and safe for use in filling teeth.
- can withstand very high chewing loads
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useful for restoring molars in the back of the mouth where chewing load is greatest
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also 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
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considered biocompatible
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well tolerated by patients with only rare occurrences of allergic response
Disadvantages of amalgam include possible short-term sensitivity to hot or cold after the filling is placed. The silver-colored filling is not as natural looking as one that is tooth-colored, especially when the restoration is near the front of the mouth, and shows when the patient laughs or speaks. And to prepare the tooth, the dentist may need to remove more tooth structure to accommodate an amalgam filling than for other types of fillings.
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Care for Your Smile
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