White Fillings

Most people like white fillings because they're, well, white. But there are several other advantages.

Most of us dentists were taught in dental school to do what are called silver fillings. In actuality, they are less than half silver. The largest ingredient is mercury. It would be more accurate to call them amalgam fillings. An amalgam is a mixture of another metal and mercury.

There are two alternatives to amalgam fillings that Dr. Kagan feels are superior. One is gold. Gold is inert, meaning that it won't corrode in the mouth. It can be cast to a very fine margin, meaning that it can be made to fit the tooth more precisely than any other filling material. And it lasts longer than any other filling material. Click here to read more about gold fillings.

But white fillings work very well also. They also don't corrode, and they can be bonded to the tooth.


One of the problems with amalgam is that it corrodes and experiences "metal creep" over time, which can lead to recurrent decay and tooth fracture.		With ceramic or composite, the fillings are bonded or sealed to the tooth, which helps keep out recurrent decay. There is less tooth fracture, also, with composite.

Advantages of White Fillings

Since they bond to the tooth, they help restore the original strength of the tooth. Amalgam fillings weaken the teeth.
Less tooth structure needs to be drilled away. The size of the filling required may be a fraction of what is required for an amalgam filling. Only diseased tooth structure needs to be removed. Amalgam requires that the tooth structure be undercut in order to hold the restoration in.
Since composite is an insulating material, the teeth are much less sensitive to hot and cold.
The color can be matched to your tooth to produce a highly esthetic result.

Types of White Fillings

There are two basic types of white fillings. One type is made out of a composite material, and it is placed directly in the tooth, shaped, and then cured with a special light.

Another type is made out of ceramic. This is a much more durable and long-lasting material, and it is cast or milled in a dental laboratory. Your tooth is prepared, an impression is taken, and a temporary restoration is placed. You come back for a second appointment where the final restoration is then fitted into your tooth and bonded into place.