A filling is one of the most common things a dentist does, yet the price can look confusing because it depends on how big the cavity is and which surfaces of the tooth it touches. Here is how filling costs work in Australia, what changes the price, and how to keep the out-of-pocket amount down.
Across Australia, a single tooth-coloured (composite) filling usually costs somewhere between about $150 and $400. A small filling on one surface of a tooth sits at the lower end, while a larger filling covering three or more surfaces of a back tooth sits at the upper end. Capital-city practices tend to charge a little more than regional ones.
These are indicative national ranges drawn from published sector fee data, not Bilby Dental’s fee schedule. Because every cavity is different, we always confirm your cost after your examination and before any treatment starts.
Dentists describe fillings by the surfaces of the tooth they cover: the biting surface, the front, the back and the two sides that face neighbouring teeth. Each extra surface means more tooth to rebuild, more time in the chair and more material. That is why a small one-surface filling costs less than a filling that wraps around the side of a molar.
Decay that has spread between two teeth often needs a two- or three-surface filling, which is one reason it pays to catch cavities early at a regular check-up.
Most fillings placed today are tooth-coloured composite resin. It bonds to the tooth, blends in with your natural colour and usually needs less healthy tooth removed than an older-style silver (amalgam) filling. You can read more about how we place them on our white fillings page.
Very large cavities, or teeth that are cracked or heavily filled already, may be better protected by a crown or onlay. We will explain the options and the reasons if that applies to you.
Fillings are usually classed as general dental under extras cover, so a rebate is common. How much you get back depends on your fund, your level of cover and how much of your annual limit you have already used. We process claims on the spot with HICAPS, so you only pay the gap on the day. See our private health insurance page for more detail.
If your child is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, fillings are covered up to the $1,158 benefit cap over two calendar years, and we bulk bill eligible children. Check the details on our bulk-billed children’s dental page.
If you need several fillings at once, you do not have to pay it all upfront. We offer Afterpay, Zip and the National Dental Plan, and our dental payment plans page explains how each works. The cheapest filling is always the one you catch early, so a six-monthly check-up remains the best way to keep costs down.
A small one-surface tooth-coloured filling in Australia typically costs around $150 to $250. Larger fillings covering more surfaces cost more. We confirm your actual fee after examining the tooth.
Composite fillings can cost slightly more than amalgam because they take longer to place, but the difference is usually small and most people prefer the natural look.
The tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic first, so most people feel pressure rather than pain. If you are nervous, ask us about happy gas.
A well-placed composite filling commonly lasts many years. Good brushing, flossing and regular check-ups help it last longer.