Amalgam filling are made by combining elemental mercury, silver, tin, copper and possibly other metallic elements.  Although amalgam filling are still considered to be safe there are many that have concerns about the mercury content in amalgams.

However, thanks to advances in modern dental materials and techniques, dentists have more ways to create pleasing, natural-looking smiles. Dental researchers are continuing their often decades-long work developing materials, such as ceramics and polymer compounds that look more like natural teeth. As a result, dentists and patients today have several choices when it comes to selecting materials to repair missing, worn, damaged or decayed teeth.