Composite vs. Amalgam Dental Fillings

Posted .

Over the history of dental care, there have been many different ways dentists have repaired cavities. As we’ve advanced in our dental technology, resin composite fillings began to take the place of amalgam fillings as the cavity filling of choice. There are many advantages to composite fillings over amalgam.

The first and most obvious advantage is the visual aspect. Amalgam fillings are called silver fillings for a reason. The stark difference between the white color of healthy teeth and the grey-silver color of amalgam is very unappealing to most. At our dental practice, Composite fillings are mixed to match the color of your teeth to not draw attention to themselves.

Another great advantage of dental composite is the fact that it contains no mercury. Amalgam fillings have a good amount of mercury in them to make them more moldable. The long-term health risks of this are unsure, but there is an increasing body of thought that labels this source of mercury as a health risk. The composite fillings Dr. Nathalie Dowsett uses do not use any mercury and are much safer.

Dentists have recommended repairing back teeth with amalgam even after the introduction of composite because of the durability difference between amalgam and early composite fillings. Now that is no longer needed. Composite filling durability and longevity now equals or exceeds amalgam, so your fillings can last for years.

To learn more or to schedule your appointment with our dentist, please call our office in Calgary, Alberta, at 403.229.0510 today!