Fillings are the most common kind of repair work done on teeth that have cavities. The procedure is very simple. The dentist cleans out the cavity thoroughly and then fills up the cleaned cavity with a special filling material. This filling material, which could be porcelain, amalgam, composite resin or gold, seals the cavity through which the bacteria could enter the teeth, thus preventing any further decay of the tooth.

There is no one material that could be considered as the best one to be used as filling. Several factors need to be considered including the shape of the tooth, the reaction that you could possibly have to the chosen material, the location of the cavity and the extent of damage that needs to be fixed.

Gold fillings are considered to be the best, but this is an extremely expensive option as well. Gold fillings provide a good fit with the gums, are very durable and will last for a long time but they require a lot of visits to the dentist to complete this procedure.

Silver fillings are a cheaper alternative to gold and are also quite resistant. Silver fillings are darker in color and more easily noticeable than porcelain or composite fillings. Silver is definitely not the material of choice to fill up cavities in teeth that are highly visible such as the front teeth.

Composite fillings are very popular as they can be specially mixed to match the exact color and shade of your teeth. After mixing the composite material, it is directly placed in the cavity and left to harden. Composite fillings are long lasting but are not recommended for use in larger sized cavities.

Porcelain fillings have a very high resistance to staining of any type and can be made to match the exact color of your teeth. Porcelain fillings are a very high-priced option and could work out to be as expensive as fillings made of gold.

After doing a thorough check-up of your teeth, if the dentist decides that a filling needs to be done, he will discuss the various options available to you, depending on the location and size of the cavity to be filled. While deciding which one to choose of the available options, you need to take into consideration your budget as well as your insurance if you have one.