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Amalgam Versus Composite Restorations

Two of the most popular materials used for filling restorations include amalgam and composite.  I would like to take the time during this post to outline some of the characteristics of each material. 

Dental Amalgam is a stable alloy made up of a combination of silver, mercury, tin, copper, and possibly other metals.  It has been a popular restorative material for some years now as it is durable, easy to use, and resistant to wear.  They can withstand a lot of chewing and therefore are used more commonly on posterior molars.  Some of the disadvantages of amalgam include the silver color, which is more noticable in the tooth, as well as the sensitivity to hot/cold.  The metal filling might expand and contract with hot and cold foods, causing temporary discomfort.

Dental Composite is a mixture of a quartz filler with a resin base with the result being a more tooth colored restoration.  The composite restoration is durable and resistant to fracture.  The dentist also does not need to remove as much of the natural tooth therefore the resulting restoration is smaller than with amalgam.  Composite restorations are also bonded directly to the tooth as compared to amalgam restorations that are a mechanical retention.

Recently, there has been a concern about the fact that amalgam restorations contain mercury.  While the mercury level is minimal and it has not scientifically been found to be a health concern, it is continually brought up and revisited. 

Here at Smile Station Dental, we use primarily composite to complete restorations.  One of the main reasons is that the metals in the amalgam restorations expand and contract with hot and cold temperatures leading to more spontaneous fractures of the tooth while composite expands and contracts as a normal tooth would.  Our experience has been that most people prefer the appearance of composite over more noticeable metal restorations.


Source: Amalgam (Dental Filling Options) - American Dental Association - ADA.org


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
smilestationdental.com
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