This really is more of a personal choice than a technical one. Even though resin composites are slightly more costly than amalgams, that doesn’t prevent most people from choosing white fillings vs. silver fillings because of the cosmetic advantages. Technically speaking, resin composite restorations allow dentists to preserve a little more tooth structure than when doing amalgam restorations. A properly done amalgam should serve well for many years, but it is our experience that when they fail, the failure is almost certainly catastrophic: tooth fracture that may or may not compromise the nerve of the tooth. That’s not to say that composites are infallible: they too can fail but are usually easier and less costly to repair. Due to the overwhelming popularity of white fillings, our office does not currently offer amalgam “silver” fillings.