When someone does opt for a cosmetic procedure, there is generally an understanding that the sole motive for the decision is the desire to look better. The truth is, though, that vanity is not always the reason behind it, and the fact that the choice is considered to be the better looking is only an added bonus. In cosmetic dental surgery, some of the choices open to patients that were once thought of as options for the vain, are now established norms based on the health and practical advantages that they have.

One area that had been tarred with the vanity brush was a preference for same day fixed teeth. This was understandable given that procedures that could be carried out in just one day were generally much more expensive than the alternative, making it something of a status symbol to have gotten teeth corrected so quickly.

Another belief that fed the theory was, that people who had had the procedure done in a day, simply did not want a prolonged period sporting braces or some other unattractive item. Amongst these options were white dental fillings, which is a visually more pleasing option to the silver amalgam fillings that are grey and ugly in the mouth. But today, these fillings are being chosen for all the right reasons.

In modern dentistry, white composite fillings have become the filling of choice for many dentists, relegating the traditional silver filling to secondary option status. The reason is that, while aesthetically the white fillings are superior as they match the colour of the tooth, they are also considered to be safer. Silver fillings contain mercury, with as much as 50 per cent of their make up accounted for by the toxic metal. It has been considered completely safe, but recent studies have revealed that tiny amounts of mercury vapour are released from the fillings during chewing.

The reason why silver fillings are still available, and have not been banned as a result of the study, is that there is no indication as yet that the release of the toxin has any damage on the body. In contrast, composite fillings contain acrylic and glass particles, but nothing toxic. Understandably then, a growing number of dentists have opted to use, or at the very least recommend to their patients, white composite above the silver option.

However, the absence of mercury is not the only reason for the preference that is shown to white composite fillings. They also have been proven to bond better with the tooth itself, thereby improving the strength of the tooth, while teeth that have been restored with composite fillings tend to be less sensitive to temperature extremes, such as in ice-cream or hot drinks, after the procedure. Also, from a procedural point of view, composites require no preparation to be done to the tooth, meaning more of the natural tooth can be retained.

Of course, patients have more than just the composite fillings to consider against the silver fillings. While composites are applied directly, patients can also have precision manufactured fillings constructed at a laboratory and then inserted into the damaged tooth. Also, porcelain fillings, which offer extra strength and are as strong as natural enamel, can also be inserted, though these are only applicable to large molars.

While both the porcelain and pre-manufactured fillings must be made in a laboratory, the composite filling is perfect for completing dental procedures in one day. This is very much in tune with modern living, in which there is a need for dentists to provide services that will result in same day fixed teeth, though such services are not provided at the expense of established professional standards. The reasons for carrying out dental work so fast can range from time pressures relating to work, which can prevent any prolonged treatments, to accidents that require immediate treatment such as dental implants.

The fact is that cosmetic dental surgery generally has a practical reason behind it. Teeth, and by extension the patient, clearly benefit from white dental fillings when compared to the ugly alternative of silver amalgam fillings. The fact that they look better too is purely coincidental, and is not the primary reason that it was once believed to be.