White vs Silver Fillings: Composite and Amalgam Compared
Tooth-coloured composite and silver amalgam both repair cavities. They differ in looks, in how much tooth they need, in how they fail, and in when replacing an old one makes sense.
- Tooth-coloured composite as standard
- Sound amalgam left in place
- Open daily 10:00–20:00
Bring any recent X-rays; we tell you which fillings are sound.
Are white fillings better than silver fillings?
Neither is better for every tooth. White composite fillings are bonded to the tooth, match its colour and need less healthy tooth removed. Silver amalgam is tolerant of moisture and has a long track record in large back fillings. Intact amalgam does not need replacing for health reasons in most people. At Creative Arts in Dubai, composite is our standard filling, and old amalgam is replaced only when it has a problem or you choose to.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist · Dr. Marina Antoniuk Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
White and silver fillings at a glance
A general comparison. Cavity size, your bite and your decay risk matter as much as the material.
| White (composite) | Silver (amalgam) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tooth-coloured resin filled with fine glass or ceramic particles | An alloy of liquid mercury with silver, tin and copper |
| How it stays in | Bonded to enamel and dentine with an adhesive | Held mechanically by undercuts shaped into the cavity |
| Healthy tooth removed | Usually only the decay and weak edges | Often more, to create retention and enough bulk |
| Appearance | Matches the tooth; can repair front teeth | Silver at first, darkening over time; can grey the tooth around it |
| Placement | Needs a dry tooth and careful layering; takes longer | More forgiving of moisture; quicker to place |
| Typical problems | Wear, staining at the edges, new decay at the margin | Cracks in the tooth around large fillings, corrosion at the edges |
| Repair | Can often be added to or repaired | Usually replaced rather than repaired |
| Mercury | None | Contains mercury bound in the alloy; see the safety section below |
Composite is the standard filling material at Creative Arts. This comparison is here so you can make sense of older fillings and the choices you are offered.
How do composite and amalgam hold the tooth differently?
The biggest practical difference is how each filling stays in. Amalgam does not stick to tooth. The dentist shapes the cavity so it is slightly wider inside than at the opening, and the packed metal locks in like a key. That shape often means removing sound tooth that the decay had not touched, and a large amalgam can act like a wedge: over the years, cusps next to it can crack.
Composite is bonded. A bonding agent seeps into the etched enamel and dentine, and the resin is built up in thin layers, each hardened with a curing light. Because it is glued rather than locked in, the cavity only needs to be as big as the decay. For small and medium cavities, that usually means keeping more of your own tooth.
Bonding has its own demands: the tooth must be kept dry and each layer placed carefully to limit shrinkage, so a composite takes longer than an amalgam and technique matters to how long it lasts. Our page on tooth-coloured fillings walks through the appointment step by step.
Which lasts longer, white or silver fillings?
The honest answer is that amalgam has the longer track record in large back fillings. A Cochrane review published in 2021 pooled trials in permanent back teeth and found that composite fillings had almost double the risk of failure, and a higher risk of new decay next to the filling, than amalgam. The authors rated that evidence as low certainty, noted that composite materials have likely improved since the trials were run, and found composite fillings were no more likely to fracture.
In everyday terms, the gap shows up most in large fillings, in people who get decay easily, and where keeping the tooth dry is hard. For small and medium cavities placed carefully, composite performs well, and when it does wear or chip it can often be repaired rather than drilled out. How long any filling lasts depends more on its size, your bite, grinding and new decay than on the material.
When a cavity is so large that neither material is likely to last, the real question is whether the tooth needs a crown rather than a filling.
Is the mercury in silver fillings safe?
Amalgam is roughly half mercury, bound with other metals into a stable alloy. Small amounts of mercury vapour are released, more when fillings are placed or removed, and the mainstream position of health bodies is measured rather than alarming.
In 2020 the US Food and Drug Administration recommended that some groups avoid new amalgam fillings where possible and use alternatives such as composite: pregnant and nursing women, women planning a pregnancy, children (especially under six), and people with certain neurological diseases, impaired kidney function or a known mercury allergy. In the same announcement it advised against removing amalgam fillings that are in good condition unless it is medically necessary, because removal briefly increases mercury vapour exposure and sacrifices healthy tooth.
So the safety question has two halves. For new fillings, a tooth-coloured material avoids the issue altogether, which is one reason composite is our standard. For fillings you already have, drilling out sound amalgam for general health reasons usually does more harm than good.
We do not offer amalgam “detox” programmes
Some websites promote removing every silver filling to cure fatigue, headaches or other symptoms. There is no reliable evidence that this works. We replace amalgam one tooth at a time when there is a dental reason, or when you choose a tooth-coloured result knowing the trade-off.
Should you replace your old silver fillings?
Each amalgam filling is assessed on its own, by examination and, where needed, an X-ray.
Replacement usually makes sense when
- There is decay at the edge, or a gap between filling and tooth
- The filling is cracked, or cracks are spreading into the tooth around it
- A cusp next to the filling has broken or is undermined
- The filling is visible and you want a tooth-coloured result, accepting that some tooth is lost each time a filling is replaced
- A dentist or doctor advises it for a specific medical reason, such as a confirmed allergy
It is usually better to leave it when
- The filling is intact, sealed and causing no problems
- The only reason is a general health worry about mercury
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding and the replacement is elective; it can usually wait
- Several sound fillings would be drilled out at once for cosmetic reasons alone, without a plan for what is underneath
What happens when an old amalgam filling is replaced?
Under local anaesthetic, the old filling is cut out in sections with water spray and suction, which keeps vapour and debris to a minimum. The cavity underneath is often larger than the filling looked from the surface, with staining or decay that was hidden. Your dentist removes what is needed, then decides whether the tooth can take a bonded composite filling or needs a stronger restoration because too little tooth is left; our guide to inlays and onlays explains one family of options to ask about.
Darkened tooth around an old amalgam does not always disappear when the metal comes out, because some of the grey is stain in the tooth itself. For old fillings in your smile line, see replacing old front fillings. If a new filling feels sensitive for a while, our guide to sensitivity after a filling explains what is normal.
Are there other tooth-coloured filling materials?
Yes. Glass ionomer is a tooth-coloured material that bonds chemically and releases a little fluoride. It is weaker than composite, so it is generally used where chewing forces are low, such as near the gum line or as a lining under another filling. Whatever the material, keeping decay away from its edges is what makes a filling last. Our filling cost guide explains what changes the figure, and our page on tooth decay explains how cavities progress.
Want your fillings checked? At Creative Arts in Jumeirah we examine each filling, tell you which are sound and which have a problem, and put any replacement in a written plan.
See fillingsDentists who place and replace fillings
Dr. Duaa Ameen, Dr. Julia and Dr. Marina Antoniuk place composite fillings and assess old amalgam; Dr. Julia and Dr. Marina also use the dental microscope.
Sources
Clinical statements on this page are consistent with these independent sources. They describe averages from studies, not a promise for any one patient.
- Worthington HV, Khangura S, Seal K et al.. Direct composite resin fillings versus amalgam fillings for permanent posterior teeth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Issues Recommendations for Certain High-Risk Groups Regarding Mercury-Containing Dental Amalgam. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020.
Frequently asked questions
Are white fillings as strong as silver fillings?
For small and medium cavities, modern composite is strong enough and keeps more of your tooth. In large back fillings, a 2021 Cochrane review found composite failed more often than amalgam, mainly through new decay at the edges, though the evidence was low certainty. For a very large cavity, a crown may be the better answer.
Should I replace my silver fillings with white ones?
Only if a filling has a problem, such as decay at the edge, a crack or a broken cusp beside it, or if you want a tooth-coloured result and accept that some tooth is lost with each replacement. The US FDA advises against removing sound amalgam unless it is medically necessary.
Are silver amalgam fillings dangerous?
For most people, intact amalgam fillings are not considered a health risk. The US FDA recommends that some groups, including pregnant women, young children and people with certain kidney or neurological conditions, avoid new amalgam where possible. It also advises against removing fillings that are in good condition, because removal itself briefly increases mercury exposure.
Do white fillings stain over time?
Composite can pick up surface stain at the edges with frequent coffee, tea, karak or smoking, and polishing at check-ups often refreshes it. A dark line around a white filling can also mean leakage or new decay, so have it checked rather than assuming it is only stain. Amalgam itself darkens over time.
Can I have amalgam fillings removed while pregnant?
Elective replacement of sound silver fillings is usually postponed until after pregnancy and breastfeeding, because removal briefly raises mercury vapour exposure. A filling that is broken, decayed or painful may still need treatment, and your dentist will plan it with you. For new fillings during pregnancy, tooth-coloured materials avoid amalgam altogether.
Does Creative Arts place silver amalgam fillings?
Tooth-coloured composite is our standard filling material. When an old amalgam filling has a problem, we replace it with composite or, where too little tooth remains, discuss a stronger laboratory-made restoration. Sound amalgam fillings are left in place unless you choose to change them after we explain the trade-off.
Related treatments
One clinic, in Jumeirah 3 / Umm Suqeim 1
Creative Arts has a single clinic on Jumeira Street (Jumeirah Beach Road). Ask about parking when you book.
- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursDaily 10:00–20:00, including Friday and Sunday
- Neighbouring areasJumeirah 1–3, Umm Suqeim 1–3, Al Wasl, Al Safa, Al Manara
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai · Our clinic in Jumeirah 3 / Umm Suqeim 1
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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