In modern dentistry, two types of dental filling are the most common choice for filling cavities. Silver amalgam and composite fillings have for the most part filled different roles in dentistry, but with recent advancements in the advantages of composite fillings, amalgam fillings are quickly becoming obsolete.
First off, composite fillings are much more visually appealing. Our Designer Smiles Dentistry dental team matches your filling to the color of your teeth perfectly. Amalgam fillings, on the other hand, show as bright silver on your teeth, distracting from your smile and can make you self-conscious.
An increasing number of people are concerned about the potential safety hazard of amalgam fillings, as a significant portion of them is mercury. More and more people prefer to avoid the hazard of having mercury in a tooth, so Dr. Wayne W. Hsieh uses composite fillings to avoid the problem entirely.
At the introduction of dental composites, they were not as strong or long-lasting as amalgam, so dentists recommended using composite in the front teeth to keep a beautiful smile and amalgam in more structurally important teeth. That is no longer necessary, as composite durability and longevity now matches or exceeds amalgams.
To learn more or to schedule your appointment with our dentist, please call our office in Garden City, New York, at 516-280-4020 today!