Multiple biquads vs higher order filtering
A cascade of 2nd order biquadratic (biquad) sections is a commonly used approach for  implementing higher order FIR/IIR filters in fixed point systems (Once you determine that you need an IIR filter, this would be a topology to consider). A big consideration for the biquad structure is stability: higher order IIR filters are prone to instability in fixed point systems due to coefficient rounding combined with long feedback delay paths (causing poles to go outside of the unit circle). The absence of any feedback between the individual cascaded sections (decoupling the poles and zeros between sections) results in a more stable structure that will be less sensitive to coefficient quantization.
I do not know of other advantages, but the numerical robustness is a very serious consideration especially  in higher order structures (and fixed point systems).