If you need a filling and are unsure which material to choose, you are not alone. The choice between tooth-coloured composite and traditional amalgam is one that patients ask about regularly. Here is a clear, honest comparison to help you understand your options.
What Is the Difference Between a Composite and an Amalgam Filling?
Amalgam fillings are made from a mixture of metals, including silver, tin, copper and mercury. They have been used in dentistry for well over a century and are known for their durability. They are also distinctly visible: amalgam is a dark grey colour that contrasts clearly with the natural shade of your teeth.
Composite fillings are made from a tooth-coloured resin material that is matched to the shade of your natural enamel. Once placed and polished, they are virtually invisible. At Manor Lodge Dental Practice, we use tooth-coloured composite as our standard filling material, chosen for its aesthetics, its precision, and the way it integrates naturally with the surrounding tooth structure.
How Do Composite Fillings Work?
Composite resin is applied to the prepared tooth in layers. Each layer is set hard using a special curing light before the next is added. Once the filling is built to the correct shape and height, it is carefully sculpted and polished to blend seamlessly with the contours and translucency of the natural tooth.
Because composite bonds directly to the tooth, less natural tooth structure typically needs to be removed to place it compared with amalgam. This makes it a genuinely conservative option as well as an aesthetic one.
Which Is More Durable?
Amalgam has traditionally been considered the more durable option for back teeth, where biting forces are greatest. However, advances in composite resin materials mean that modern tooth-coloured fillings are now highly resilient, and are routinely used in posterior teeth with excellent long-term results.
The longevity of any filling depends significantly on the precision of placement, the quality of material used and how well the patient maintains their oral health at home. A well-placed composite filling, cared for properly, can last many years.
Are Amalgam Fillings Being Phased Out?
In the United Kingdom and across Europe, the use of dental amalgam has been subject to increasing restriction due to environmental concerns about mercury content. A phased restriction is now in place in the UK, and amalgam is no longer used routinely in children, pregnant women or breastfeeding patients. At Manor Lodge, we use tooth-coloured composite for all routine restorations.
Should I Have My Old Amalgam Fillings Replaced?
This is a question we are asked frequently. If your existing amalgam fillings are intact, well-sealed and causing no clinical concerns, there is generally no urgent clinical reason to replace them. If you are unsure about the state of your existing restorations, a routine check-up is a good place to start. Removing an amalgam filling that is still in good condition requires the removal of additional tooth structure and is not without risk.
Where an amalgam filling is failing, cracked, leaking or causing discomfort, replacement with a composite restoration is a sensible option. We are also happy to discuss aesthetic replacement of visible amalgam fillings for patients who find the appearance of their existing restorations a concern.
What Does a Tooth-Coloured Filling Cost?
The cost of a composite filling depends on the size of the cavity, the location of the tooth and the complexity of the restoration required. At Manor Lodge, we provide a clear breakdown of fees before any treatment begins. We also offer 0% finance options for patients who would prefer to spread the cost of their care. As a general guide, tooth-coloured fillings typically cost a little more than amalgam alternatives, which reflects the additional time and technique required to place them well. It is worth raising any questions about fees at your consultation, where we will give you a full breakdown before any treatment begins.
Tooth-Coloured Fillings in Edgware
At Manor Lodge Dental Practice, every filling is approached as a precision restoration. We use high-quality, biocompatible composite materials and give careful attention to shade matching, contouring and surface finish to ensure a result that is both durable and indistinguishable from the natural tooth.
We welcome patients from Edgware, Burnt Oak, Stanmore, Mill Hill and the surrounding areas of North London.
To discuss fillings or any other aspect of your dental care, get in touch with the team at Manor Lodge Dental Practice.