Generally, yes. Aside from the unappealing appearance of silver fillings, they can cause teeth to fracture over time. As a general rule, if the filling is small it is better to use tooth-colored material called a composite. As fillings get bigger, inlays and onlays are needed. These types of restorations support your teeth through bonding. They also hold up to chewing pressure, don't leak, and look like your real teeth.

There are three important factors with regard to filling materials. First, there is a striking cosmetic difference. Tooth-colored fillings are actually bonded or glued to the surrounding tooth, which minimizes stress on the tooth and often results in less risk of fracture or decay. Second, traditional silver fillings conversely can place stress or tension on a tooth - and this can substantially weaken the tooth itself. Many times, with silver fillings, a weakened tooth will fracture. See similar questions...

Silver fillings, also known as amalgam, are a type of filling that bonds mechanically to the tooth, meaning more tooth structure needs to be taken away to allow the filling to stay in place. Tooth colored fillings, also known as composite or resin, bond to the teeth and make the tooth stronger than the tooth would had it been filled with amalgam. Tooth colored fillings are highly recommended for smaller cavities, as they allow more tooth structure to be saved. See similar questions...

Using present day techniques and materials, a properly done tooth colored filling (bonded composite) will wear almost as well as a silver filling. In addition, bonding to the remaining tooth, strengthens the tooth rather than weakening it. Newer composites, which require 2 appointments and are laboratory processed, are even more wear resistant. Almost all of the fillings that I do now are bonded composites. See similar questions...

Several types of tooth-colored restorations are available today. It is our opinion that silver would not be an option for filling material in our own mouths; therefore, we do not use it in our practice. The primary reason, aside from the unknown effects of silver in the body, is that when properly designed and placed, a tooth-colored restoration is a longer-term restoration than a silver filling. See similar questions...

Besides cosmetic differences, there are several. What has been noticed is that due to the expansion of silver filling materials and because silver fillings are wedged inside of a tooth for retention, stress can occur to your natural enamel. This often leads to a premature fracture of your tooth, which might necessitate a crown. With properly placed tooth colored filling, your tooth is actually strengthened by filling not weakened, because it is bonded (connected) to the tooth, not wedged in. See similar questions...

Silver fillings are a combination of different metals (tin, copper, silver, zinc) and mercury and have been used for over 100 years. They are still the most durable material for back teeth. The tooth colored or composite fillings have gained favor for several reasons not the least of which is they look much nicer than the metal. See similar questions...

No, tooth colored fillings are our treatment of choice. Either direct filled composites or indirect inlays and crowns can be provided in almost all situations. However on occasion, if a silver filling is necessary, we use the safest material available. See similar questions...

Yes all fillings are tooth-colored. I do not use metal or mercury fillings (often called silver fillings, even though they contain mostly mercury). See similar questions...

Silver amalgam fillings were used to restore teeth for many years. These are metallic black in color, which is easily detected inside the mouth. Sometimes when you have bigger filling it gives an unpleasant look inside your mouth. Tooth colored composite resins are available these days, which are safe, strong and extremely natural in appearance. Due to their ability to bond to the surface of the tooth, restoration has much strength and has less leakage. See similar questions...

Tooth-colored fillings are made of a plastic resin material. Similar in color and texture to natural teeth, the fillings are less noticeable, and much more attractive, than other types of fillings. See similar questions...

The modern tooth colored filling materials consist of a resin which hold together finely ground quartz crystals. The resin can be tinted to get the filling close to the color of the tooth, and the quartz crystals will reflect the underlying natural color to obtain a very good match. See similar questions...

Silver amalgam is a restorative material that has been well proven. It is relatively inexpensive, durable and simple to place. It can give teeth a blue-grey appearance, so we recommend tooth-colored resin instead, when a filling is in the “smile zone”. Composite resin restorations are esthetically pleasing and may strengthen your tooth by bonding to the tooth, though they are more complicated to place. See similar questions...

Since tooth coloured fillings don't have the track history that silver has, that question can't be answered just yet. However, from the clinical studies, it seems that they can. See similar questions...

The white fillings look like your natural teeth. Most people now prefer these when possible. They are made of a composite material (plastic). Traditional silver fillings have worked very well for many years and still can today. They are made up of a mixture of different metals. On average a white filling will not last as long as a silver one. Recently, many new materials have come forth that have made the longevity of white fillings closer to silver ones. See similar questions...

Many people in the Ft Lauderdale area have had silver fillings placed into their teeth because they had cavities. These silver fillings are called amalgams. Amalgam fills the space where the decay in the tooth has been removed. However, over time, the amalgam corrodes and leaks which blackens the silver, and many times the tooth. This is easily seen as soon as a patient opens his or her mouth and is usually a source of embarrassment for the patient. Dr. See similar questions...