A standard cavity filling costs between $75 and $450 per tooth without insurance, depending on the material used and how much of the tooth needs repair. Most people pay somewhere in the $100 to $300 range for a single filling. The final number depends on several factors, including your location, the type of filling material, and whether you have dental coverage.
Cost by Filling Material
The two most common filling materials are amalgam (the silver-colored metal blend) and composite resin (tooth-colored). Amalgam is the cheaper option, typically running $75 to $200 per tooth. Composite resin costs more, usually $150 to $450 per tooth, because the material itself is pricier and the process of placing it takes longer. Your dentist has to apply composite in layers and cure each one with a special light, which adds chair time.
Most dentists now default to composite for visible teeth since it matches your natural tooth color. Amalgam is still used on back molars where appearance matters less and durability matters more. If cost is your primary concern, asking about amalgam for a back tooth can save you $50 to $150.
Why Some Fillings Cost More Than Others
Not all cavities are the same size, and filling prices scale with complexity. A small cavity on one surface of a tooth sits at the low end of the price range. When decay wraps around multiple surfaces, the filling requires more material, more time, and more skill, pushing the cost toward the higher end. A filling that covers three or more surfaces of a molar will cost significantly more than a small one-surface repair on a front tooth.
Location also plays a role. Dental fees vary widely by city and state. A filling in Manhattan or San Francisco can easily cost 50% more than the same procedure in a smaller metro area. Rural practices often charge less, though the gap isn’t always dramatic.
When a Filling Isn’t Enough
If a cavity has gotten large enough that a standard filling can’t restore the tooth’s structure, your dentist may recommend an inlay, onlay, or crown instead. These are more expensive because they’re custom-fabricated, usually in a dental lab.
- Inlays fit inside the cusps of a tooth and typically cost $500 to $2,000.
- Onlays cover one or more cusps and average around $900.
- Crowns cap the entire visible tooth. A porcelain-fused-to-metal crown runs $800 to $1,500, while zirconia or all-ceramic crowns can reach $2,000 or more.
If decay reaches the nerve of the tooth, you’ll need a root canal before any restoration can be placed. A root canal on a front tooth costs $300 to $1,200, and you’ll still need a crown on top of that. What started as a $150 filling can easily become a $1,500 to $3,000 problem if decay is left to progress. This is the single biggest reason dentists push for early treatment: the financial jump between a small filling and a root canal plus crown is enormous.
What Insurance Typically Covers
Most dental PPO plans classify fillings as “basic restorative” procedures and cover around 80% of the cost after your deductible. So if a composite filling costs $200 and your plan covers 80%, you’d pay roughly $40 out of pocket (plus whatever remains on your annual deductible). Deductibles for dental plans usually reset each calendar year and commonly fall in the $50 to $150 range for an individual.
There’s a catch, though. Many plans have a waiting period of 6 to 12 months for basic procedures, meaning brand-new coverage won’t help with a filling you need right away. Some plans also set their reimbursement based on the cost of amalgam, so if you choose composite, you may pay the difference between the two materials out of pocket. It’s worth calling your insurance company before your appointment to ask exactly what your plan covers for the specific procedure code your dentist quoted.
Additional Costs Beyond the Filling
The filling price is just the restoration itself. Before your dentist can place it, you’ll need a diagnostic visit that includes an exam and X-rays. Without insurance, a dental exam runs $50 to $150 and X-rays add another $25 to $250 depending on the type. Bitewing X-rays (the standard cavity-detection films) fall on the lower end of that range. If you’re a new patient, some offices bundle the exam and X-rays into a discounted first-visit package.
Sedation is another potential add-on. Local anesthesia (the numbing shot) is usually included in the filling fee, but nitrous oxide or oral sedation for anxiety costs extra and isn’t always covered by insurance. If you need or want sedation beyond the standard numbing, ask for that line item upfront so you aren’t surprised by the bill.
How to Lower Your Out-of-Pocket Cost
If you don’t have dental insurance, several options can bring the price down. Dental schools offer supervised care at 30% to 50% below private practice fees. Community health centers use sliding-scale pricing based on income. Many private practices also offer in-house membership plans for uninsured patients, typically charging an annual fee of $200 to $400 that covers exams, X-rays, and discounts of 10% to 20% on procedures like fillings.
Payment plans through third-party financing (like CareCredit) let you spread the cost over several months, sometimes interest-free if you pay within a promotional window. If you’re comparing quotes between offices, make sure you’re comparing the same procedure. A quote for a one-surface amalgam filling and a quote for a three-surface composite filling aren’t really comparable, even though both are technically “fillings.”