Amalgam Fillings vs. White Fillings

Many varieties of fillings are available at our New York, NY office. Most people are familiar with traditional amalgam fillings: those big silver spots on top of teeth.

Made from a mixture of silver, tin, zinc, copper, and mercury, amalgam fillings have been used to fill cavities for more than 100 years. They offer several advantages, including:

Although dental amalgam is a safe and commonly used dental material, you might wonder about its mercury content. You should know that when it’s combined with the other metals, mercury forms a safe, stable material.

The American Dental Association, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, and World Health Organization all agree that based on extensive scientific evidence, dental amalgam is a safe and effective cavity-filling material.

White Fillings

Newer, mercury-free, resin-based composite fillings (white fillings) are also available at our New York, NY office. Composite resin fillings are made from plastic mixed with powdered glass to make them stronger.

Resin-based fillings offer several benefits for patients, including:

Resin-based composite fillings also have some disadvantages, including:

There’s a lot to think about when you have to get a cavity filled. We recommend you do your homework and speak with Drs. Marks, Leder, Ghusson, Kudryk, Safin, and Mazlin before deciding what’s best for you or your family.

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