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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 amalgan 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 amalgan 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 amalgan 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. Amalgan 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, amalgan 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 amalgan 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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