There are two main types of fillings, which help treat cavities in our patients, including metal and white fillings. When comparing metal vs. white fillings, it often comes down to personal preference, as there are pros and cons of each variety. Metal amalgam fillings are the traditional type of fillings, which have been around for over 100 years. They are made from a combination of metals, including mercury, tin, silver, copper and zinc. This makes a very durable and strong filling, but many of our patients don’t like the shiny, metal appearance of the filling. We also offer white fillings, which are made to look just like the natural tooth with tooth-colored composite resin.
The benefits of metal fillings include being less expensive, nearly always covered by dental insurance and no extra technology is needed for the fillings. The process is also quicker because no color matching needs to be performed, like with white fillings. The material is also stronger than white fillings and does not need to be replaced as often.
With white fillings, patients benefit from a filling looking just like their natural tooth and appearing more natural, the tooth being less sensitive to hot and cold temperatures with the filling and not containing any mercury. There are some heavy debates about the fact that metal amalgam fillings contain a small amount of mercury and making white fillings a safe alternative.
Visit us here at New York Dental Studio in New York, NY to get metal or white fillings from Dr. Brandon Huang.
