An NHS filling in England costs £76.60 from April 2026, and that single charge covers every filling you need in one course of treatment. Private white fillings are priced per tooth. At High Street Smiles in Warrington, they are £200 for a small filling, £250 for a medium and £295 for a large.
How much a filling costs in the UK comes down to two things. Whether you are treated on the NHS or privately, and how much of the tooth needs restoring. The sections below cover both, using current NHS charges and the published fees at our Warrington practice.
How Much Does a Filling Cost on the NHS?
An NHS filling falls under Band 2, which costs £76.60 in England from 1 April 2026. This rose from £75.30 the previous year.
The part most people miss is that Band 2 is charged per course of treatment, not per tooth. If you need one filling, you pay £76.60. If you need four fillings in the same course of treatment, you still pay £76.60. The same band also covers root canal work and extractions, so if you need a filling and an extraction together, that remains one Band 2 charge.
Band 2 includes everything in Band 1 as well, meaning your examination, any X-rays, and a scale and polish if it is clinically needed. Band 1 on its own is £27.90 and Band 3, which covers crowns, bridges and dentures, is £332.10.
Many people do not pay at all. Children under 18, anyone under 19 in full-time education, pregnant women and new mothers within 12 months of giving birth all receive free NHS dental treatment, as do people receiving certain benefits, and the NHS treatments available at our practice are listed in full.
How Much Does a Filling Cost at High Street Smiles?
We price white fillings in three sizes. A small tooth coloured composite restoration is £200, a medium is £250 and a large is £295. These figures are published in full on our private fees page.
Which size applies depends on how much of the tooth needs rebuilding, and your dentist will confirm it after examining the tooth. Examination and X-ray fees are listed separately on the same page. You will be given a full written breakdown of expected costs before any treatment begins, and we will tell you if anything changes as treatment progresses.
How Much Is a Private Filling in the UK?
Fees vary considerably between practices. Private white fillings across the UK generally run from around £90 to £350 per tooth, with London practices sitting at the upper end and some quoting beyond it.
The range is wide because private fillings are priced per tooth and per size, rather than as a fixed course charge. A small single surface repair takes a fraction of the time a large multi surface restoration takes, and the fee reflects that. Practices also differ in the composite materials they use, which affects both cost and how the finished filling wears.
That variation is why a published fee list is worth more to you than a quoted range.
Can You Get a White Filling on the NHS?
Sometimes, and it depends on where the tooth sits in your mouth.
The NHS will not usually allow white fillings on the biting surfaces of back teeth. That restriction does not apply to the sides of back teeth, and it does not apply to front teeth at all. So a white filling on a front tooth is generally available on the NHS, and a white filling on the chewing surface of a molar generally is not.
This is the most common reason patients move to private treatment for a single tooth. If you want a tooth coloured result on a back tooth, that is a private composite filling rather than an NHS one.
Why Are White Fillings More Expensive Than NHS Fillings?
The NHS charge is a fixed, subsidised fee set by the Department of Health and Social Care, and it covers a whole course of treatment however many teeth are involved. A private white filling is priced per tooth and reflects the time, materials and technique that particular tooth needs. The two are not really the same product being sold at different prices.
Beyond that, several things move a private filling between £200 and £295.
Size is the main factor. A small cavity caught early needs less preparation, less material and less chair time than one that has been left to spread, which is why the same tooth can sit at either end of the range depending on when it is treated.
Position matters too. Back teeth are harder to reach and take the full force of chewing, so restorations there need to be shaped and layered carefully to last. Front teeth are easier to access but need close shade matching to look natural.
The number of surfaces involved changes things as well. A filling that wraps around two or three surfaces of a tooth takes longer to build than one sitting in a single pit.
Treating decay early is the most reliable way to keep the cost down. Left alone, a cavity that would have needed a small filling can progress to needing a large one, then a root canal, and then a crown.
How Long Do Fillings Last?
A well-placed composite filling will typically last several years, and often considerably longer with good oral hygiene and regular check ups.
Lifespan depends on where the filling sits, how heavily you bite, whether you grind your teeth, and how well the area is kept clean. Fillings in back teeth take more load and tend to need review sooner than those in front teeth. Your dentist will check existing fillings at every examination and tell you when one is showing wear.
Old fillings that are wearing down, leaking or causing discomfort can be replaced, and many patients choose to replace older silver fillings with tooth coloured composite at the same time.
Where Can You Get a White Filling in Warrington?
High Street Smiles is a private and NHS dental practice on High Street in Golborne, Warrington, and we also see patients from Newton-le-Willows, St Helens and Wigan. We provide fillings on both the NHS and privately, so we can talk you through what is available under each before you decide.
If you are unsure whether you need a filling, or you want to know what a specific tooth would cost, book a consultation and we will examine the tooth and give you a written figure before anything goes ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Pay for Each Filling Separately on the NHS?
No. The Band 2 charge of £76.60 covers your whole course of treatment, however many fillings are included in it. If your dentist places three fillings across two appointments within the same course, you pay the charge once.
Do Fillings Cost More on Back Teeth?
Not automatically, but often in practice. Back teeth tend to need larger restorations across more surfaces, which moves them up the size bands. A small filling in a molar is priced the same as a small filling in a front tooth.
How Many Fillings Can You Have in One Appointment?
That depends on where the teeth sit and how long each will take. Several fillings on the same side of the mouth can usually be done together under one anaesthetic. Your dentist will plan the order and tell you how many appointments to expect.
Does Getting a Filling Hurt?
Local anaesthetic is used to numb the tooth and the surrounding area, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. Some sensitivity to cold or biting afterwards is normal and usually settles within a few days.
Can an Old Filling Be Replaced?
Yes. Fillings can be replaced when they wear, chip or begin to leak, and your dentist will advise when that point has been reached. If too little natural tooth remains to hold a new filling, a crown may be recommended instead.
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Call us today on 01942 726 983 or book a free consultation online.
High Street Smiles
107/109 High Street, Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3BZ
Telephone: 01942 726 983
Website: highstreetsmiles.co.uk
