Nobody enjoys hearing they need a filling, but the good news is it’s one of the most routine, least expensive procedures in dentistry. If your dentist has just told you about a cavity, whether you’re at our Earlwood clinic or one of the many patients who travel in from Marrickville, Campsie, or Belmore for it. This guide covers the real cost, what changes it, what actually happens in the chair, and whether your health fund or the Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS) picks up any of it.

Key takeaways

• A dental filling in Australia typically costs between $200 and $600, depending on its size, location, and the material used.
• More complex cases, larger cavities, multiple teeth, or a porcelain/gold restoration can extend the price up toward $4,000, though this is uncommon for a standard filling.
• White (composite) fillings are the most common choice today, since they blend in with your natural tooth colour.
• Fillings are classed as general dental treatment, so most private health fund extras policies contribute toward the cost.
• Fillings for eligible children aged 0–12 can often be bulk-billed under the Child Dental Benefits Scheme, meaning no out-of-pocket cost to the family.

How Much Does a Filling Actually Cost?

A standard filling in Australia generally falls between $200 and $600. Where you land in that range depends mainly on how much of the tooth needs restoring and which material your dentist uses.

Filling material	What it’s made from	Where it typically sits in the price range
Composite (white filling)	Tooth-coloured resin with fine glass or ceramic particles	Most common choice — mid-range, blends in with your smile
Amalgam (silver/metal)	A mix of metals, including a small amount of mercury	Lower end of the range — durable, but visibly silver
Glass ionomer	A fluoride-releasing cement, often used for small or less-visible fillings	Lower to mid-range
Ceramic or porcelain	A custom-made restoration for larger areas of decay	Upper end of the range
Gold	An alloy of gold and other metals	Highest cost, and rarely used today

Larger cases, several fillings in one visit, a large cavity needing extra material, or a custom porcelain restoration can push the total higher, occasionally up toward the $4,000 mark for genuinely complex, multi-tooth situations. That’s the exception rather than the rule; most single fillings sit comfortably within the standard range above.

The only way to know your exact cost is a quick exam, since the size and depth of the cavity aren’t visible until your dentist actually looks.

What Affects the Price of a Filling?

A few specific factors move the price up or down within that range:

• Size of the cavity. Dentists price fillings by the number of tooth “surfaces” involved — think of a tooth as having several sides. A small, single-surface filling costs less than one covering two or three surfaces.
• Location in your mouth. A back molar takes more time and skill to access than a front tooth, which can add slightly to the fee.
• Material chosen. As the table above shows, composite and glass ionomer sit lower in the range; ceramic and gold sit higher.
• How many teeth need treatment. Several small fillings done in one appointment are usually more cost-effective than spreading them across multiple visits.

What to Expect During Your Filling Appointment

If part of what’s holding you back is the appointment itself rather than the cost, it helps to know what actually happens. Your dentist numbs the area first with a local anaesthetic, so you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure itself — some mild pressure is normal, but the numbing is what most people notice, not discomfort. From there, the decayed part of the tooth is removed, the space is cleaned, and the filling material is placed, shaped, and polished to match your natural bite. A straightforward filling is usually done in a single visit, often well under an hour.

If dental anxiety has kept you away from the dentist for a while, it’s worth mentioning when you book; our team can talk you through sedation options for patients who find even routine treatment difficult, so a filling doesn’t have to mean gritting your teeth through the whole appointment.

Does Health Insurance Cover Dental Fillings?

In most cases, yes. Fillings are classed as general dental treatment, which the majority of private health fund extras policies include as standard. Your exact rebate depends on your specific fund, your level of cover, and your annual limit — bring your policy details to your appointment, and the practice can claim on the spot through HICAPS so you only pay the gap. Medicare itself doesn’t cover routine adult dental care; the CDBS below is the main exception.

If you don’t have extras cover, or your annual limit has already been used, it’s worth knowing that flexible payment plans — including Afterpay and Humm — are available so the cost can be spread out rather than paid as one lump sum.

Is My Child’s Filling Covered by the CDBS?

Often, yes. The TLC Dentist supports the Child Dental Benefits Scheme, which provides bulk-billed treatment, including fillings for eligible children aged 0 to 12. If your child needs a filling, it’s worth asking at your appointment whether they qualify, since it can bring the out-of-pocket cost to the family down to nothing.

How Long Do Dental Fillings Last?

A well-placed filling typically lasts many years with normal care. Composite fillings commonly last 7 to 10 years or more, while amalgam fillings can last even longer — sometimes 15 years or beyond. How long yours lasts depends on its size, its location, and how well you look after it: regular brushing, flossing, and check-ups let your dentist catch any early wear before it becomes a bigger problem.

Should You Replace Old Silver Fillings?

Not automatically. If an old amalgam filling is intact, comfortable, and sealed properly, there’s usually no clinical reason to replace it just for the sake of appearance. Replacement makes sense when a filling is cracked, leaking at the edges, or the tooth around it has started to break down; at that point, it needs attention regardless of the material, and the new filling is priced like any other of that size. Your dentist will tell you plainly at your check-up which of your existing fillings are fine and which are genuinely due for replacement.

Caring for Your Filling Afterward

Aftercare for a standard filling is minimal, but a few things help it last. You may feel numb for a couple of hours after the anaesthetic wears off — avoid chewing on that side until the feeling fully returns, so you don’t accidentally bite your cheek or tongue. For the first day, it’s sensible to avoid very hot, cold, or sticky foods on the treated tooth, since it can be briefly more sensitive than usual. Beyond that, normal brushing and flossing is all a filling needs — there’s no special routine required once the initial sensitivity settles.

What Happens If You Leave a Cavity Untreated?

This is the part worth knowing before you decide to put it off. Tooth decay doesn’t stay the same size — a small, painless spot on the enamel slowly works its way deeper into the tooth. Left long enough, it can reach the nerve at the centre of the tooth, and at that point a simple filling is no longer enough.

Here’s the realistic progression:

• Small cavity, treated early: a straightforward, single-surface filling — the lower end of the price range above.
• Left another year: the same spot, now larger, needs a bigger, multi-surface filling.
• Left longer still: decay reaches close to the nerve, and the tooth may need root canal treatment to save it, followed by a crown to protect what’s left.

Same original problem, three very different bills — and the earlier one is always the cheapest and simplest to fix. If you’re at the point of wondering about that next stage, our guide to root canal treatment costs in Sydney covers what that involves.

Getting an Exact Price for Your Filling

General ranges are a useful starting point, but the only way to know your actual cost is a quick look at the tooth — the size, depth, and location of the cavity all factor into the final price.

The general dentistry team at The TLC Dentist in Earlwood can assess your tooth and give you a clear, upfront cost at your appointment — whether you’re local to Earlwood or travelling in from Marrickville, Campsie, Belmore, or one of the surrounding suburbs we see patients from every week.

Call the practice on (02) 9558 0225, get in touch with the team to ask a question first, or visit our Earlwood clinic page for opening hours and directions.