The Average Cost of Dental Fillings

Tooth decay is the second largest common disorder among patients, according to YourDentistryGuide.com. Dental fillings treat tooth decay by providing support to the remaining healthy structure of the tooth. Tooth decay must also be treated in order to prevent gingivitis and periodontitis.

The Facts

A dental filling is used to repair a tooth with minor surface damage, decay or fractures. The filling material can be composite resin or silver amalgam. The cost of dental fillings is determined by the amount of tooth surfaces being restored.

Silver Amalgam

Greg Johnstone, Associate Publisher for Consumer Guide to Dentistry, reports that a filling using silver amalgam averages $110 to $200 as of September 2010.

Composite Resin

AboutCosmeticDentistry.com explains that composite resin fillings are time-consuming, thus more expensive than amalgam fillings; composite resin is the same color as the tooth. A filling with composite resin typically ranges from $135 to $240 as of September 2010.

References

• Consumer Guide to Dentistry: Let's Talk Dental Fillings: The Procedure and Its Costs
• About Cosmetic Dentistry: Composite Resin Filling Cost
• Medline Plus: Dental cavaties