Silver fillings, called amalgams, have been around for a long time. It has proven to be long lasting good fillings. However it is metal filling and it can contract and expand over period of time. It simply fills the cavity and does not bond to the tooth's. It is malleable so as time goes by it will get pushed in and expand which can cause internal stress to the tooth. Often, we see that teeth can fracture especially old large amalgams. Finally, it does not have natural teeth color appearance.

On the other hand, tooth-colored fillings called composites are bonded to the tooth's surface thus strengthening the tooth. It is also more natural looking. Only disadvantages are it takes slightly longer appointment to place it and is more difficult to place.