| Typical national planning range | $180 to $680 |
| Typical mid-range figure | $360 |
| Modeled cash / self-pay price | about $310 |
| Modeled in-network allowed amount | about $270 |
How fillings are priced
Dentists price fillings by surfaces, the named sides of a tooth the restoration touches. A cavity confined to the chewing surface is a one-surface filling. Decay that wraps between teeth or around a cusp becomes a two- or three-surface filling with a higher fee. That is why a written treatment plan lists codes with numbers of surfaces, and why phone-quote comparisons between offices are usually apples to oranges.
What changes the price
- Number of surfaces. The dominant factor; each additional surface adds to the fee.
- Front versus back teeth. Back teeth are harder to isolate and fill, and some plans apply downgrade rules only to back teeth.
- Material. Composite resin is the standard. Amalgam is cheaper where still offered; ceramic or gold inlays cost several times more and behave more like crowns in pricing.
- Replacing old fillings. Removing a failing filling and any decay under it takes longer, and a very large replacement may be quoted as an onlay or crown instead.
What insurance typically pays
Fillings sit in the basic tier of nearly every plan, commonly covered at 70 to 80 percent of the allowed amount after the deductible. The math is friendly at these price levels: on a $270 allowed amount at 80 percent with the deductible met, your share is about $55 per filling. Two or three fillings in one visit still fit comfortably under most annual maximums, which is one practical reason to treat small cavities before they grow into crown-sized problems.
Paying without insurance
Self-pay filling prices are among the most negotiable in dentistry because the office's cost is mostly chair time. Ask for the cash price per filling and whether same-visit treatment of several teeth earns a package rate. Dental schools and community clinics fill teeth at a fraction of private fees, and catching decay at a small one-surface stage is the single biggest cost saver available to any patient.
Common questions
Why did my two fillings cost different amounts?
Fillings are priced by how many surfaces of the tooth they cover. A small one-surface filling costs the least, and each additional surface adds to the fee, so a three-surface filling on a molar can cost nearly twice a one-surface filling on the same tooth.
What is an insurance downgrade on a filling?
Some plans calculate back-tooth benefits on the price of a silver amalgam filling even when you receive a tooth-colored composite. You still get the composite, but the plan pays on the cheaper basis and the difference is added to your share, commonly $30 to $100 per filling.
How much does a filling cost with insurance?
Fillings are almost always a basic service near 70 to 80 percent coverage. On a $270 in-network allowed amount at 80 percent with the deductible met, the plan pays about $215 and you pay about $55, unless a downgrade provision reduces the basis.
When does a tooth need a crown instead of a filling?
When decay undermines so much structure that a filling cannot hold, dentists recommend an onlay or crown, which costs several times more. If a quote jumps from filling range to crown range, ask to see the X-ray and the reasoning; a good office will show you.
These are national planning figures. Your dentist's fee, your plan's allowed amount, and your remaining benefits decide your real cost. Enter them in the free anonymous calculator to see your estimated share, no account needed.
Related guides
Sources and evidence notes
The links below support the procedure and insurance explanations. The dollar ranges are this site's rounded planning figures; their construction and limits are explained separately in the methodology.
- Dental filling optionsMouthHealthy, American Dental Association. Consumer overview of common filling materials and treatment considerations.
- Typical dental plan benefits and limitationsAmerican Dental Association. Background on annual maximums, fee schedules, exclusions, and plan cost-containment rules.
- Pre-authorizations and predeterminationsAmerican Dental Association. Explains why a pre-treatment estimate is useful but is not a guarantee of payment.