Amalgam - the silver dental filling material

Written By: Dr Anitha Anchan | Updated : August 6, 2013 12:21 PM IST

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One filling material that has withstood the test of time is silver amalgam, commonly known as silver filling. It provides a hard, strong, durable and cost-effective filling. It consists mainly of mercury, silver, tin and copper. It may last at least 10 to 15 years. On an average, silver fillings cost between Rs 250 450.

Used for:

Since it doesn't match the colour of natural teeth, it is mainly used for posterior (back) teeth.

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Advantages:

Easy to fabricate
Requires a single appointment
Durable and has good strength to withstand chewing forces
Less expensive than composite fillings

Disadvantages:

Aesthetically unappealing.
It needs a space large enough to hold it. Hence more tooth structure may be destroyed during tooth preparation.
Over time, they may expand causing cracking of tooth which may then require repair and filling replacement.
They may also corrode with time and stain the surrounding tooth structure.
Although the mercury in the filling is not available as free mercury, there have been concerns about its toxicity.