With the advances in today's technology dental work is getting better and better. It used to be the only way to fill in a cavity was with silver fillings, but today we now have more options than ever. Many people are concerned that if they have to have fillings to correct tooth decay they want them to look as natural as possible. Silver fillings are no longer the norm. People are self-conscious about smiling with a mouth that might glitter in the sunlight, with white composite fillings people can smile easier and not worry about how their mouth looks.

If you need to have fillings your dentist should inform you of the fact that you have a choice of white composite fillings or silver amalgam fillings. If they fail to do this they are not performing their legal duty.

Following are five reasons you should get white composite fillings instead of silver amalgam fillings.

Reason one:
They bond to the tooth. Since white composite fillings are bonded to the tooth they actually restore majority of the original tooth's strength. This will help prevent your teeth from breaking in the future. When you have a cavity the dentist has to drill out the damaged part of the tooth, which tends to weaken the tooth. Silver fillings actually further weaken the tooth, which increases your chances of breaking the tooth later in life. Broken teeth can cost a lot of money to fix, so nobody wants to increase their chances of breaking a tooth. White composite fillings can actually help save you money in the long run.

Reason two:
White composite fillings restore your natural look. Your teeth are naturally white so why not keep them looking that way. People who use white composite fillings have more confidence in their smile because there is no way to tell that they have had teeth filled. This added confidence can make them more comfortable in social and business settings because by using white fillings instead of silver they are improving their appearance.

Reason three:
If your white composite fillings are done correctly your teeth will not be as sensitive to hot and cold. For people with sensitive teeth already this can be an added benefit. Because silver is a metal extreme temperatures directly affect the metal causing you to wince in pain if you bite into a frozen treat or taking a sip of something hot to drink. Nobody wants to experience that kind of pain, eating should be as painless as possible, you should be able to enjoy a hot drink on a cold day or a frozen treat on a hot day

Reason four:
White composite fillings are not made with mercury. Some people view mercury as being toxic, which if you think about it is. In the older days mercury was used in a variety of health care tools, such as thermometers, but in today's world you do not see the use of mercury thermometers, unless your parents or grandparents happen to have one. Mercury is being phased out because of how dangerous it can be.

Reason five:
White composite fillings require less removal of the tooth structure. If you are having your old fillings replaced with white composite fillings this will not matter since the structure has already been removed, but it makes a huge amount of difference in new cavities. The smaller amount of tooth that has to be removed is vital in keeping your teeth stronger. By removing a large amount of the tooth the dentist is weakening that tooth which can lead to broken teeth. See reason one for more information on broken teeth.