Tooth-colored cavity fillings in Lower Manhattan, NYC

Filling cost depends on the tooth's location and how many surfaces are involved — a single-surface filling is a smaller restoration than a two- or three-surface one. Rather than quote a range that won't match your specific tooth, we give you an itemized written estimate before any treatment begins, and we process your insurance claim as a courtesy. You'll know exactly what's involved before we start.

Most PPO plans cover composite fillings on front teeth at the same percentage as amalgam. For back teeth, some plans reimburse only up to the amalgam fee and leave the difference for composite to the patient — this varies by plan, so we verify your specific benefits first. Centre Dental is non-participating with most PPO plans, which means you pay us directly and we provide an itemized receipt with all the codes you need to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. We'll walk you through your insurance coverage at the visit.

A well-bonded composite filling is a long-term restoration. Published systematic-review data puts the failure rate at roughly 1.55 restorations per 100 restoration-years, with many fillings functioning well for a decade or far longer when hygiene is consistent and grinding is controlled. The most common way a filling eventually fails is recurrent decay at the margin where it meets the tooth — which is exactly why we examine every filling margin at each hygiene visit and replace before a leak develops rather than after.

For most fillings, yes — local anesthetic numbs the tooth and the gum beside it so you feel pressure and vibration, not pain. Very small or surface-level cavities can sometimes be filled comfortably without it, and we'll discuss that option before we start. If dental visits make you anxious, we can also talk through relaxation options; see dental anxiety care. Most patients prefer to be fully numb, and that's completely fine.

Mild cold sensitivity for one to three weeks is normal as the tooth settles after decay removal — the dentin was shielded by the decay and needs a little time to recalibrate. If the sensitivity is sharp, getting worse, or you feel pain when you bite down, the filling may be sitting slightly high; a quick bite adjustment with articulating paper usually resolves it in a single short visit. If discomfort persists beyond three to four weeks, we re-evaluate the tooth for deeper pulp inflammation rather than assume it'll pass.

Yes. Composite fillings are fully cured with the curing light before you leave the chair, so there's no waiting for the material to set. The only thing to wait out is the anesthesia — eat once the numbness wears off, typically two to four hours, so you don't accidentally bite your cheek or tongue. If the tooth feels a little tender that first day, chew on the other side and it settles quickly.

No — Centre Dental places only tooth-colored composite. Existing amalgam fillings are left alone unless they actually fail or decay develops underneath them; routine "amalgam removal" without a clinical reason isn't something we recommend or push. If an old silver filling is cracking, leaking, or has decay around it, that's a genuine reason to replace it with bonded composite, and we'll show you why on the X-ray.

Fix it now, essentially always. Decay only moves in one direction — deeper — and the cost of waiting isn't measured in dollars first, it's measured in how much tooth you keep. A shallow cavity in enamel is a small, quick filling. Give it six months to reach the nerve and the same tooth may need a root canal and a crown. Catching cavities while they're small is the entire point of regular hygiene visits and preventive care — the X-rays find decay long before it hurts.