A filling repairs a tooth once the decay is cleaned out. Two things move the price the most: the material and how many teeth need work. Tooth-colored composite costs more than silver amalgam. Price it per tooth below, then see what insurance usually pays. The exam and X-rays are priced separately on their own page.
Your estimate
Updated 2026-07-06$226 typical ($135 to $550)
Medium confidenceBased on CareCredit (composite resin avg $226, $173-$439, ASQ360 2024 study); Delta Dental article ($145-$530); Authority Dental 2026 (avg $200, $100-$400); Great Lakes ($150-$550, 3+ surface) (2024 (CareCredit study); 2025-2026 (guide bands)). Updated 2026-07-06.
What is included
- Composite (tooth-colored) filling$226
With insurance
Monthly payment example
About $19/mo over 12 months or $9/mo over 24 months. Just an example, based on a 0% promo plan and the typical estimate. This is not an offer, and the real terms and approval depend on the lender.
This is an estimate, not a quote or a treatment offer, and not medical or financial advice. The figures are modeled from public sources and shown as ranges with a date and a confidence level. For a real number, ask your dentist for a written treatment plan and check coverage with your own plan.
Dental filling costs
Filling cost per tooth
A dental filling usually costs about $226 per tooth for tooth-colored composite, with most landing between $135 and $550. Silver amalgam is cheaper, while composite costs a bit more but blends in with the tooth. The price is per tooth, so two cavities roughly doubles the bill. Set your material and how many teeth in the calculator to get your total.
Composite vs amalgam
Composite is the tooth-colored resin most dentists reach for these days. It bonds to the tooth, looks natural, and works anywhere in your mouth, though it costs more. Amalgam is the silver material: cheaper and really durable, but it's visible, so it mostly ends up on back teeth. One thing worth checking with your plan is that insurance sometimes only pays up to the amalgam price on back teeth and leaves you the composite difference.
When a cavity is too big for a filling
Fillings work for small to moderate decay, roughly up to a third of the tooth. Once you go past that, a filling can leave the tooth too weak, and you're better off with an onlay or a crown, which cost more but actually hold. If your dentist has brought up a big cavity, run our filling vs onlay vs crown tool to see how the price and the tradeoffs change as the damage gets bigger.
Fillings with insurance
Almost always, and better than most procedures. Fillings count as basic work, so plans usually cover 70 to 80 percent after a small deductible. The exam and X-rays that catch the cavity in the first place are typically covered in full as preventive care. Turn on insurance in the calculator to see your out-of-pocket per tooth.
Common questions
How much is a filling with insurance?
At the usual 70 to 80 percent basic-work rate, your share of a $226 composite filling comes to roughly $45 to $70 once the deductible is handled.
Why did my filling cost more than the average?
Fillings are priced by how many tooth surfaces are involved, so a big cavity that wraps around a tooth costs more than a small one, and back teeth generally run higher than front teeth.
Do composite fillings last as long as silver?
Amalgam has a slight edge on durability, but modern composite holds up well and bonds right to the tooth. For most small and medium cavities, the natural look is worth more than that small difference.