Metal
		Plastic
		Sedative Fillings

Fillings in children — in both primary and permanent teeth — can be metal or plastic. Metal fillings are also called amalgam. Plastic fillings include composite resins and glass ionomers. There's also a combination type called a resin-modified glass ionomer.

Metal

• Has a long history of successful use, especially in the back teeth (molars), which are exposed to extreme biting and chewing forces
• Generally takes less time to place than plastic fillings
• Costs less than plastic fillings
• Is more reliable if the decay is between two back teeth or involves several tooth surfaces

• Some people are concerned about the mercury in dental amalgam. Still, no study has shown that it causes any ill health effects.
• More of the tooth structure has to be removed to place an amalgam filling. That's because amalgam is not bonded chemically to the tooth. Instead, it is held in the tooth by the way the dentist shapes the tooth.

Plastic

• They are tooth-colored. They blend in with the rest of the tooth and other teeth.
• They are bonded to the tooth. This helps seal the filling and prevent decay around it.
• Glass ionomer and resin/glass ionomer fillings release fluoride. This mineral helps strengthen the tooth and prevent more decay.
• Usually, the dentist can cut a smaller hole in the tooth for a plastic filling than for an amalgam filling. That's because bonding holds the filling in place. By contrast, an amalgam filling is held in the tooth by the way the dentist shapes the tooth.

• Plastic fillings cost more than amalgam fillings.
• Placing a plastic filling is more complicated. This means your child may spend more time in the dentist's chair.
• The American Dental Association found no difference in how well plastic and amalgam fillings lasted over three years. But it's not known whether plastic fillings hold up for longer periods. Plastic fillings in the back teeth are less likely to wear down if they are small and not subject to heavy biting and chewing forces. These materials continue to improve.
• Some children are allergic to methyl methacrylate, an ingredient in plastic fillings. This is rare.

Sedative Fillings