A filling is typically a two-part process in which the dentist first removes the decay then fills the remaining tooth with a protective material. Dentists’ fees are based on the type of filling material used and the number of surfaces needing a filling in a single tooth.  Without dental insurance even basic services like fillings can become costly quickly.  

Here is and example on the average cost for an silver amalgam filling (which is the cheapest filling type you can get.) For A silver amalgam (metal) filling without insurance on one or two surfaces can cost $50-$150; three or more surfaces can cost $120-$300 or more.    

Yet if you choose a PPO insurance plan, most PPO’s plans will pay up to 60-80 percent of the filling cost. Based on the lower coverage of 60 percent that is still a saving of $30-$90 on one or two surfaces and a saving of $72 – $180 on three or more surfaces.  However many PPO plan have waiting periods for basic care normally around six months but can be longer or shorter depending on the plan.     

With an HMO insurance plan they are normally fee based with no waiting periods to give you and idea of cost under one such plan that we offer though California dental their cost for amalgam filling runs from $15 – $28 for 1-4 surface filling. However keep in mind HMO plans are normally fee based so each plan will be different but you can see how much based on this example you are able to save by having dental insurance in place.