At Friendly Family Dentistry, we may recommend fillings to restore a decayed or damaged tooth. In order to find the perfect option for you and your family, we offer two types of fillings: amalgam and composite.
Amalgam Fillings
These fillings have been used by dentists for more than a century, as they are durable, easy to use, resistant to to everyday wear and tear, and affordable. While made with elemental mercury and other metallic elements, amalgam fillings have been deemed safe by the National Institute of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization, among others. Amalgam fillings are silver-colored, but they’re most useful for restoring molars in the back of the mouth where the chewing load is greatest (and where they’re less likely to detract from the appearance of your smile).
Composite Fillings
Also known as tooth-colored fillings, composites are a great option for smaller restorations. They are made from a filler mixed with a resin medium and will blend in with your natural smile. With composite fillings, less healthy tooth structure is removed, resulting in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam. The cost of a composite filling is moderate, but the end result of your treatment will be a beautiful smile; no one will ever know you have a filling!
Regardless of which type of filling is best for you, they are placed in more or less the same way:
- First, your tooth will be cleaned
- Next, your dentist will remove the decay and prepare your tooth for a filling
- Finally, your filling will be placed
The biggest difference is that a light is required to “cure” a composite filling before it’s strong enough to withstand the force of chewing.
Friendly Family Dentistry will find the perfect filling that fits your lifestyle, budget, and personal preferences. Contact us today to learn more.