Dental fillings are the most common treatment in the history of dentistry. The first filling ever made for a human was around 6500 years ago.
However, dentistry has come a long way since then. Today, composite fillings are the best, most developed white filling material which presents a more natural looking tooth and also provides similar strength and stability.
Amalgam fillings are a cheaper alternative material with fair prognosis. Although they have been used for nearly 2 centuries, they are progressively being replaced by composites in the worldwide dental community.