It seems that, all-in-all, there is no perfect dental filling material. The best policy is to try to avoid cavities to begin with.

I would think, for the sake of your children, that you would want to question the need for fillings when a dentist says a cavity is present. The method they use to determine that a cavity is present is to check the enamel to see if it's soft. They use a pointed stainless steel poker for this. When they poke the enamel, if it resists pulling out from the enamel, they will normally tell you that you need a filling.

I personally remember them doing this when I was a teen.

I disagree with this method of determining if a filling is needed. I personally believe that this method errs horribly on the side of placing unnecessary fillings, which, as we've all learned, is truly dangerous, at least in many cases. I also know of several people now who have been told their child needed a filling. They decided to get a second opinion and that dentist said their child did not need a filling.

Let the buyer beware.