Tooth-colored fillings offer several important advantages over silver fillings. With resin fillings, we are able to treat decayed teeth much more conservatively because they actually bond to tooth structure. Therefore, less healthy tooth structure needs to be removed in order to hold the filling in place than for a silver filling.

Resins also provide excellent durability and resistance to fracture in small to moderate sized fillings. Their properties are very similar to those of teeth, allowing them to function extremely well in the oral environment. These fillings also blend in well with natural tooth enamel, so they are often times not even visible!!! Thus, these fillings are physically stronger and much more cosmetic than silver fillings.

Older, mercury-containing silver fillings had been the most common filling material for many years due to their overall strength. However, a growing number of dentists are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of silver fillings due to their mercury content and their physical effects on the tooth. Over time, these silver fillings expand and contract, causing micro-fractures in the tooth, which can often cause the tooth to break. When this happens, more expensive treatment is typically needed. Since tooth-colored fillings are bonded to the tooth, they actually help to support the tooth over time, leading to fewer fractures in teeth.