Somebody has just said the word "filling", and your brain has gone straight to three questions: will it hurt, what will it cost, and will it show. Then a fourth pops up at 11pm: silver or white? This page is my answer to all of them, in one place, with the main points in one place. Fillings are one of the most common things I do, and one of the most common things I get asked about.
The short answer: a filling repairs a tooth that's been damaged by decay or a chip. It's done with the tooth numbed, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. The main types are white (composite), silver (amalgam) and glass ionomer, and the right one depends on the tooth. On the NHS in England, fillings come under Band 2, listed at £76.60 (checked 27 September 2026); private fees vary. Many fillings last ten years or more. Some sensitivity for a week or two afterwards is common; pain that lingers, throbs or appears months later needs a look. Book a dental check-up to talk it through. If a tooth is aching, throbbing or a filling has fallen out and it hurts, call my emergency dentist team in Harlow or Enfield, or NHS 111 if we're closed. Read about dental fillings at Minti.
Filling fallen out, broken or aching? Call your nearest Minti practice. I keep same-day appointments for pain and swelling wherever I can.
- Nuffield Dental Practice, Harlow: 01279 424 038
- Church Langley Dental, Harlow: 01279 306 690
- Enfield Smiles, Enfield: 020 8804 4320
Evening, weekend, or nowhere near us? Call NHS 111. If you're struggling to breathe or swallow, or swelling is spreading to your eye or neck, that's 999 or A&E.
What types of filling are there?
Think of filling materials as footwear. Amalgam is the steel toe-capped boot, composite is the smart everyday shoe, and glass ionomer is the comfy slipper. Each is right for a different job.
White vs amalgam fillings: which is better?
Neither wins everywhere. Amalgam is safe and tough on big back-tooth fillings; white fillings match your teeth and modern ones last well in many cases. Since 2018 amalgam isn't used for under-15s or during pregnancy or breastfeeding unless strictly necessary, and a global phase-out by 2034 was agreed in 2025.
Glass ionomer fillings
Tooth-coloured, bonds chemically to the tooth and releases fluoride, but it's not as strong. It's mostly used for baby teeth, near the gumline and as a holding filling.
Front tooth fillings
Almost always white, shade-matched and layered so most people won't notice. One catch: whitening won't change a filling's colour, so whiten first if you're planning to.
How much does a filling cost?
NHS filling cost
Fillings are Band 2 on the NHS in England, listed at £76.60 (checked 27 September 2026; page last reviewed 13 March 2025). That's one charge for the whole course of treatment, whether you need one filling or several.
Private white filling cost
The NHS provides white fillings where clinically necessary, such as front teeth; for back teeth, white is often a private option. Private fees vary between practices and should be confirmed in writing before treatment; see our fees and finance page.
Does a filling hurt, and how long does it take?
Do fillings hurt?
The tooth is numbed first, so most people feel the quick sting of the injection, then pressure and vibration, not pain. A little sensitivity afterwards is common and usually settles.
How long does a filling take?
It depends mostly on the size and position of the filling and the material. A white filling takes a bit longer because it's built up in layers and each one is set with a light.
What can I eat and drink after a filling?
Eating after a filling
The first thing to wait for is the numbness to wear off, so you don't chew your cheek without realising. The rest depends on the material.
Tea, coffee and alcohol after a filling
Hot drinks while you're still numb are a scald waiting to happen.
Is pain after a filling normal?
Some is. The nerve has had building work done next door and can grumble for a while. What matters is the pattern: short twinges that fade are usually settling; pain that lingers, throbs or starts on its own is not. The pattern matters.
Bad pain hours after a filling
Soreness as the numbness wears off is common. Severe, throbbing pain that night is worth a call.
Still hurting weeks after a filling
Sensitivity usually eases over a few weeks. If it isn't fading, or it lingers after cold, get it checked.
Pain when biting after a filling
Often a filling that's a touch high, sometimes a crack.
Sensitive to cold weeks after a filling
Short twinges that vanish are usually settling; cold pain that hangs around is a different story.
Filling feels too high
A high spot of less than a millimetre is enough to make a tooth sore. It's one of the quickest fixes in dentistry. I've done it myself, and every honest dentist has.
Filling hurts months later
If a filling was comfortable and then starts hurting, that's a new problem: usually decay at the edge, a crack, or an unhappy nerve.
How long do fillings last?
Filling lifespan
There's no expiry date. In a large review of white fillings in back teeth, about 2% failed each year, and silver fillings tend to last at least as long. Size, position, grinding and decay risk matter more than age.
Cracked filling
A rough edge, a gap your tongue finds, or pain on biting. A crack lets decay in, so don't leave it.
Loose filling
If it moves, it isn't sealing the tooth. Please stop testing it with your tongue.
Filling keeps falling out
When the same filling fails again and again, something underneath needs a rethink: decay, too little tooth left, or the bite.
What if my filling falls out?
I'll keep this straight. A lost filling is rarely a 999 matter, but the tooth underneath is exposed, so book in soon, and sooner if it hurts or there's swelling. Our broken tooth or lost filling guide has the immediate steps.
Filling fell out
Keep the area clean, avoid chewing on it and book an appointment.
Filling fell out and the tooth hurts
The type of pain tells you a lot about how urgent it is.
Can a lost filling cause toothache?
Yes: exposed tooth reacts to hot, cold, sweet and chewing.
Eating with a lost filling
You can eat, carefully, on the other side.
Temporary filling fell out
Temporary means temporary, but the tooth still needs covering.
How long can a temporary filling stay in?
One placed by a dentist is designed for a few weeks, sometimes a few months, and no longer.
Temporary filling kits
A pharmacy kit can tide you over for a few days. It isn't a repair.
Pharmacy dental cement
Reasonable as a stopgap if you follow the packet.
When should I see a dentist about a filling?
If you've been told you need a filling, book it in. A small hole is a small filling; left, it becomes a bigger filling or a bigger decision. For a filled tooth that's hurting, the NHS advice is to see a dentist if toothache lasts more than two days.
Call us today if:
- a tooth throbs, aches by itself, or kept you awake
- pain lingers after hot or cold rather than fading in a second or two
- a filling has fallen out or broken and the tooth hurts
- the gum is swollen, there's a bad taste, or you have a temperature
Call 999 or go to A&E, not a dentist, if:
- you're finding it hard to breathe, swallow or speak
- swelling is spreading towards your eye or down into your neck
- your eye is swollen or painful, or your eyesight suddenly changes
- you can't open your mouth properly because of the swelling
Until you're seen, the NHS advice for toothache is paracetamol or ibuprofen as the packet says, soft food, chewing on the other side, and avoiding very hot, cold or sweet things.
If you're near Harlow or Enfield, I'd much rather take a look at the tooth than have you spend another night reading about it. Ring your nearest Minti practice to book, and if it's hurting, say so and we'll do our best to see you the same day. Anywhere else, or out of hours, call NHS 111.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Tooth pain and filling choices need examining in person.
