Cavity Filling Cost

How much does a cavity filling cost?

Most people will have to get fillings at some point in their lives. Sometimes they will have one for a cavity; others can be used to repair worn-down teeth. While receiving a filling is not always pleasant or cheap, knowing how much your filling will cost and what options you have is essential.

Why Fillings?

When you have a cavity, the dentist will remove the decayed part of your tooth and fill it, stopping the decay’s spread and patching a hole in it. The filling provides strength and support to a now weakened tooth structure. Fillings can also repair worn-down, cracked, or broken teeth. When your tooth is beyond filling capacity, you will receive a crown. All these fillings will help protect the strength of your teeth.

General Procedure

The dentist will numb the area around the tooth and then drill or laser the decayed area out from the tooth. He will then probe to make sure he has removed all of it. After that, your dentist will adequately clean the area, ensuring that an infection or bacteria do not enter the tooth, and then he will begin filling the tooth. Each filling procedure is different depending on the material needed. Sometimes a filling can be done in one session while sitting on a chair; you may have to come back several times for other filling types. With some fillings, you have to put in a filling layer by layer and wait for it to dry. This all helps determine the cost.

Types of Fillings

There are many different types of fillings. While they all have the same purpose, some may suit you better. When choosing a filling, consider how much you are willing to spend, how often you can afford to have it replaced, if you want it to blend in with your teeth, and how much daily pressure you put on your teeth. These will all be important in determining what kind of filling you should get and, consequently, the cost. Silver fillings, also known as amalgam and composite or white fillings, are the most popular. Gold fillings are still prevalent in some areas. The following are the most popular and widely offered filling materials. Your dentist may offer other choices as well as different prices. The prices listed are only averages.

Silver or Amalgam Fillings

These fillings are the least expensive out of the three most popular options. They last 10-15 years and will not corrode, and they can generally stand up to the force of chewing. There are many aesthetic disadvantages to silver fillings, and they tend to turn the surrounding area of the tooth grey and can cause many cracks and fissures in the tooth. However, being the least expensive option, they are also the most widely chosen. Silver fillings usually start at around $80 without insurance and will go up from there.

Gold Fillings

Gold fillings are the most expensive type and can cost up to ten times what a silver filling will cost. Many gold fillings start at around $350 without insurance and go up in cost based on the filling size. However, gold fillings do last 10-15 years without corrosion and can stand up to the pressure and strength of chewing. With that being said, gold fillings are becoming less popular (because the price of gold keeps rising), and many dentists are not being trained to do gold fillings anymore.

White or Composite Fillings

Although relatively expensive, white fillings are the most popular of all the fillings. They match your teeth the best and therefore don’t leave an aesthetic problem. The composite filling bonds to your tooth, providing a little extra support. However, with the good comes the bad. A composite filling is only guaranteed to last at least five years, meaning it may last five years and six months or fifteen. Also, the composite material may chip away over time, depending on where your cavity is located. The cost of white fillings is $170-$300 without insurance.

Other types of Fillings

Your dentist may suggest other types of fillings based on the size and location of your cavity, what materials he is comfortable working with, and your budget. Glass ionomer is made of acrylic and glass. These fillings release fluoride and prevent further tooth decay. However, this is a reasonably soft filling that lasts only five years. Ceramics is another option for fillings. Ceramic fillings are resilient, staying around 15 years but can be abrasive and cost as much as gold fillings.

Cost of Fillings

So how much does a filling cost? Simply put, it depends. You may be covered entirely or partially if you are lucky enough to have dental insurance. If not, it depends on the filling you choose to get.

The cost of a cavity filling without insurance can vary depending on a few factors, such as the filling used, the location of the dental office, and the dentist’s experience. On average, the cost of a cavity filling without insurance can range from $100 to $300 or more per filling.

Since that price is per filling and you can have several fillings in each of your teeth, the cost adds up quickly. When your teeth have become so decayed that fillings won’t help, you will receive a crown which can get incredibly expensive without the help of insurance. On top of that, fillings are not permanent solutions and need to be replaced fairly regularly, although that also depends on your type of filling. Because of this, you may add replacement fillings to the total cost of a dental filling.

Almost everyone will have to have a filling at some point in their lives. However, it is essential to go to the dentist to know how much you are willing to spend and how much a filling will cost. Depending on skill, experience, location, and other factors, each dentist will charge differently for each filling, but this should give you an idea of what a dental filling costs.