White tooth fillings vs. silver fillings

You probably know by now that you can have ‘white’ fillings instead of silver ones. But what exactly are they?

Silver or gold fillings (amalgams) are put in your mouth to ‘fill’ the space drilling makes to remove cavities. That’s why we call them fillings.

Amalgam fillings, however, can corrode over time. This does not create health problems per se, but it’s not pretty.

Composite (white) fillings are certainly more cosmetic, and don’t leak. They are remarkably strong (they bond direcgtly to the teeth) and stain resistant, and they can be color matched. They are virtually invisible unless you’re really looking for them. They are also have less sensitivity than amalgams. And for those rare patients that might have allergic reations to metal, this is the best choice!