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CostHelper.com > Health & Personal Care  > Cavity Filling

Cavity Filling Cost

How Much Does a Cavity Filling Cost?

low cost Silver Amalgam: $75-$300
low cost Resin: $90-$300+

Related Topics:

Teeth Cleaning

Dental Crown

Root Canal

Braces

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Teeth are prone to decay known as cavities. A filling is usually a two-part process (usually done in one office visit) in which the dentist removes the decay then fills the remaining tooth with a protective material.
 
Typical costs:
  • Decay may be found in one small spot or throughout a tooth. Dentists' fees are based on the number of surfaces needing filling in a single tooth.
  • A silver amalgam filling on one or two surfaces averages $75 -$160; for three or more surfaces it's $120 -$300 or more.
  • Tooth-colored composite resin fillings run $90 -$250 for one or two surfaces or $150 -$300 and up for more than two surfaces.
  • Typically dental insurance covers most or all of the costs of silver amalgam fillings, but only 50 to 80 percent of the cost of a composite filling because the higher charge for the tooth-colored material is considered a cosmetic option. One exception is when an old amalgam filling is cracked or broken and is replaced with a composite filling.
  • Cast-gold fillings (known as inlays or onlays) must be custom-ordered, require two visits and a temporary filling, and can cost up to 10 times the price of composite fillings or $900 -$3,000 and more.
What should be included:
  • The dentist will choose the type of filling based on the size of the cavity and the location of the tooth. Amalgam or composite resin are the most common materials. Composites are more likely to be used on more-visible front teeth. WebMD.com gives an overview of typical filling procedures and Colgate.com lists pros and cons of different types of fillings.
  • On average, amalgam fillings last approximately 12 years while composites last about five to seven years, according to YourDentistryGuide.com.
  • There has been some debate about the safety of the mercury that is present in silver amalgam fillings, but the US Food and Drug Administration says there is no danger.
Additional costs:
  • Usually an initial exam ($20 -$100) and X-rays ($13 -$135) are required to determine the extent of the decay before a dentist will perform a filling procedure.
Discounts:
  • Check DentalSite.com for locations of college clinics offering reduced rates for services by supervised students or faculty.
  • The American Dental Association lists state associations; these groups may a portion of basic dental fees for low-income patients.
Shopping for a cavity filling:
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
 
Article updated November 2007
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Recent Posts
Amount: $70.00 total The Cost of afilling
Posted by: Stacy Collons in Beaumont, TX.Purchased: July, 2009
Type: remove old filling and replace new oneNumber of Surfaces: 1
Number of Cavities: 0
I can not believe how much it cost just to fix a cracked filling. I CAN NOT AFFORD insurance so I have to pay the cash. I was so upset at the prices of these things. This was a very small crack in the filling.
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Amount: $110.00 total Cost with Insurance
Posted by: Dianna in Fort Worth, TX.Purchased: July, 2009
Number of Cavities: one
I have CompDental through my employer (a school district). Their list of benefits says that each filling costs like $6. However, my dentist charges a $99 desensitizer fee per tooth. So, I need 4 fillings - close to $500 out of pocket for me even though I am esentially "covered" by insurance. This de-sensitizer is not a covered expense.
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Amount: $221.80 total Filling Composite
Posted by: 56rrt in Wadsworth, OH.Purchased: August, 2009
Type: Filling CompositeNumber of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: 2
Cavities under two older mercury/silver fillings. Aetna insurance is not picking up much but... I am more than happy to get the mercury out of my mouth. Since they are pretty good size fillings I should cut my mercury exposure by about 1.8 micrograms/day. My old amalgam dentist actually freaked out when I inquired about replacing those very same 50% mercury amalgams with composites. I have two others that are going to get replaced here another month down the road. Not looking forward to the bill but I think it is worth it in my all around health. As I have found out cheap isnt always good for you.
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Amount: $370.00 total cost of fillings
Posted by: insurance-for what? in Aliso Viejo, CA.Purchased: August, 2009
Type: white fillingsNumber of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: 2
Took my sons to the dentist and they each had one cavity which required filling. Even with insurance it was $185 per child. When I inquired as to what insurance paid, they said that the white fillings were not covered by insurance, but that they didn\'t even do silver fillings in the office. BUT-they submitted as silver fillings to the insurance which paid $110 which they said they passed the savings to us which meant that each filling was $295!!! I could not believe the cost even with insurance.
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Amount: $210.00 total Resin Composite- 2 surfaces Posterior
Posted by: ChombaWomba in Virginia Beach, VA.Purchased: September, 2009
Type: CompositeNumber of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: 1
Insurance paid $147.00. Total amount was $210.00. Tooth number 30. Amalgam would have been less. I have two insurances, one attached to my primary insurace and an add on secondary. I have spent $250.oo on the secondary so far and have spent $250.00 in dental charges. I did have a crown last year, but I think that I am about even in terms of insurance costs vs. payments.
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Amount: $536.00 total 91 year old mother
Posted by: skg in Port Saint Lucie, FL.Purchased: 2009
Type: front teethNumber of Surfaces: 3
Number of Cavities: 2
my mother has $900 SS per month and luives in assisted living at $2300/month. I make up the differance. Now dentist wants $536 to fill two cavities.
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Amount: $300.00 total composite filling
Posted by: Tory in Westmont, IL.Purchased: May, 2009
Type: Number of Surfaces: one
Number of Cavities: one
Dentist said he gave me a discount. He took some x-rays, gave me an exam, and did a filling.

His office had two admin employees, one assistant, and one additional dentist.
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Amount: $315.00 total resin composite 2 surface posterior
Posted by: ia in Princeton, NJ.Purchased: September, 2009
Type: a molarNumber of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: one
Dentist' bill was $315 for resin composite-2 surfaces. Delta Dental PPO allowable allowance was $150 for comparable silver amalgam; so, I had to pay $235 to dentist: (50deductible, 20 copay, 165 white resin composite, not covered.)
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Amount: $595.00 total Composite fillings: 1 new, 1 replacement
Posted by: a user in New York, NY.Purchased: December, 2009
Type: CompositeNumber of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: 2
I had a new cavity in a molar, dentist put in a composite filling for $220.00. He claimed that my amalgam (silver) filling that I had gotten years ago needed to be replaced, so he drilled it and replaced it with a composite for $275.00. Definitely feel bamboozled, as I went in for a cleaning and he rushed me through the fillings RIGHT AFTER, without really getting my consent.
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Amount: $244.20 total 3 Composite Fillings
Posted by: UNK in Santa Clara, CA.Purchased: January, 2010
Type: CompositeNumber of Surfaces: 3
Number of Cavities: 3
Had a bunch of dental work done when I was 18 including 3 root canals. Fear of dentist since then. I really should of learned my lesson and take better care of my teeth but then new cavities formed after not taking care of them for 10 years. Insurance paid 80% of my dental work.
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Amount: $465.00 total checkup, xray, filling
Posted by: KatieKate in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.Purchased: January, 2010
Type: Number of Surfaces: 2
Number of Cavities: 2
Paid 125 for checkup and xray, then came back expecting to pay about 100 for the fillings like the last time. Nope, ended up being 340, so 465 in total. Not going back there! No insurance, bills and life to pay for. And the reason I made the dentist appointment was something else I thought was wrong that really wasn\'t. Could have saved by not going at all. (Sault Ontario, not MI... no Canadian provinces in the list)
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Amount: $610.00 total molar fillings
Posted by: p.o.'ed in Santa Barbara, CA.Purchased: February, 2010
Number of Cavities: 2
Got ripped off in Santa Barbara. Clerk wouldn't tell me how much insurance was covering, said I had to pay $300 up front to cover what insurance wouldn't cover. I figured I should be getting most back like couple yrs ago for couple fillings. No. Got bill and dentist charged $315 and $295. After insurance, I end up paying $330???!!! What a rip. Can't assume things were like before when insurance covered everything. Should have asked dentist up front what costs were.
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Amount: $275.00 total 1fillings
Posted by: Joe m1chael in Medford, NJ.Purchased: March, 2010
Type: resinNumber of Surfaces: 3
Number of Cavities: 1
I am having this done by an experienced Dentist I have been going to since I was @ 6 years old.
I am 49. I would figure in how good your Dentist is as well.
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Amount: $309.00 total cavities
Posted by: WH in Saratoga, NY.Purchased: April, 2010
Type: resinNumber of Surfaces: 3 and 2
Number of Cavities: 2
I have a cavity between teeth. Quoted me a 3 surf at 285 and a 2 surf at 239. After insurance I will have to pay $309. I thought this was high but based on everyone else's experience maybe not.
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Amount: $589.00 total 1st dentist visit in 9 yr, 8 cavities
Posted by: needs to win the lotto to pay for dental work in Grand Rapids, MI.Purchased: May, 2010
Type: resinNumber of Surfaces:
Number of Cavities: 8
I was just recently added to my husbands insurance and decided to visit the dentist. I was told I have 8 cavities that need to be filled. The insurance is covering a good portion but it's still going to cost me $289.80 for the 1st four and $299.20 for the last four. General cost per filling is $157!
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