How much does a filling cost in Cape Town?

There is no fixed national price for a filling in South Africa, and the cost varies, driven mainly by the filling’s size and the material used. A tooth-coloured (composite) filling generally costs more than a metal (amalgam) filling. A written quotation from the practice, after an examination, is the only reliable way to know what your own filling will cost.

In short

• Each dental practice sets its own fees for fillings, and there is no government price list for private dental treatment.
• The cost varies, driven mainly by the size of the cavity and the material used.
• A tooth-coloured (composite) filling generally costs more than a metal (amalgam) filling, though amalgam is particularly hard-wearing in a large cavity or a back tooth.
• Medical aid schemes generally cover a filling as everyday, conservative dentistry, usually once per tooth within a set period.
• A written quotation from the practice, after an examination, is the only reliable way to know the cost of your own filling.

This article is part of the fillings information on this site for patients in Cape Town.

What does having a filling involve?

A filling repairs a tooth after decay, or a chip or crack, has damaged it. Your dentist removes the decayed or damaged part of the tooth, cleans the cavity, and fills the space with a restorative material to rebuild the tooth’s shape and stop further decay. Left untreated, a cavity can grow deeper, and can eventually cause pain or infection that may need root canal treatment instead. See How much does a root canal cost in Cape Town? for that separate cost. Two materials are most commonly used. A composite, or tooth-coloured, filling is made from a resin that is matched to your tooth’s shade, and works well on a front or back tooth. An amalgam, or silver-coloured, filling is a metal mixture that has been used for over a century and is particularly hard-wearing in a large cavity or a back tooth that does a lot of chewing work. Your dentist will recommend the material best suited to your particular tooth.

What drives the cost of a filling?

The size of the cavity, and how many surfaces of the tooth it covers, is the main factor. A small filling on one surface costs less than a larger filling covering two or three surfaces of the same tooth. The material chosen matters too: a composite filling generally costs more than an amalgam filling, partly because it takes longer to place, since the tooth must be kept clean and dry throughout. A repeat filling or re-treatment on a tooth already filled also adds to the time and the cost. The practice’s running costs and location play a part too.

How do South African medical aids treat fillings?

Fillings are generally treated as everyday, conservative dentistry, and are usually paid from a member’s medical savings account or day-to-day benefit, at the scheme’s own tariff, rather than from a separate specialised benefit. This tariff is the scheme’s own figure, not a practice’s fee, and many dentists charge more than it, so the difference is usually a co-payment the patient pays. Can I use my medical savings account for a check-up or a filling? explains this in more detail. Schemes generally grant a filling once per tooth within a set period, and commonly exclude a filling needed to restore a tooth damaged by toothbrush abrasion, wear or acid erosion rather than decay. A scheme may also ask for a treatment plan or X-rays before paying for several fillings at once. A filling is not usually subject to the pre-authorisation or the higher limits that apply to a crown or a denture.

How do I reach Dr Davies?

For a figure for your own filling, call the practice’s reception, where fees are discussed, and ask for a written quotation after an examination. BRS Dental is not registered with medical aids, so it does not claim from them directly, but reception can help you submit your claim to your medical aid. For anything clinical, contact Dr Davies. If you are in pain from a tooth now, see the dental emergency guidance on this site rather than researching the cost first.