How Much Does a Filling Cost in Australia?

What a filling costs

Filling fees are set by how many surfaces of the tooth the filling covers and whether it's a front or back tooth. These averages come from the Australian Dental Association's 2022 fee survey, as published by CHOICE, and reflect fees as at 1 July 2022, so your practice may charge more today.

The item numbers below are the ones the Child Dental Benefits Schedule describes as tooth-coloured fillings. Bigger fillings covering three or more surfaces cost more again, and the survey figures published by CHOICE don't cover them, so ask your dentist for that fee.

What "surfaces" means

Each tooth has several sides: the biting side, the front, the back and the two sides that face the neighbouring teeth. A small hole on the biting side is a one-surface filling. Decay that has spread around a corner, often between two teeth, is two or more surfaces, and it takes longer to fix.

The dentist can usually only tell how big a filling will be once the decay is removed, so a quote before treatment may be a range.

Filling materials

Healthdirect describes several types. Tooth-coloured composite resin can be matched to your teeth and needs less of the tooth removed. Glass ionomer is also white but not as strong, and is often used for temporary fillings. Amalgam, the silver-coloured material, is very strong and has been used for more than 150 years. Gold and porcelain last a long time but are made in a lab, so they need two appointments and cost more.

On amalgam, Healthdirect says it's safe and effective for most people, and that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have kidney disease, may be offered a different material. If you have a preference, raise it before treatment starts, because it can change the fee.

What else may be on the bill

A filling is often done at, or after, a check-up, so the same visit can include an exam and X-rays, each billed separately. Ask whether the quote is for the filling alone or the whole visit.

If a tooth is too damaged for a filling, your dentist may suggest a crown or root canal treatment instead, and both cost considerably more. Ask them to explain why before you agree.

Ways to pay less

Medicare doesn't generally cover dental care, Healthdirect notes. With private health insurance, Healthdirect lists simple fillings under routine dental and complex fillings under major dental, and benefits depend on your policy, waiting period and annual limit. Ask your dentist for the item numbers, then ask your fund what it will pay.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), a Medicare dental program for eligible children aged 0 to 17, covers fillings within its two-year limit, which is $1,158 for periods starting in 2026. From 1 January 2026 it pays $133.70 to $179.25 for the tooth-coloured fillings in the table above, depending on the tooth and number of surfaces.

Adults with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card can get fillings through public dental services, though Healthdirect warns the wait can be a year or more.