How much should a filling cost? And should you only use gold or titanium?!
Question:
How much should a filling cost? And should you only use gold or titanium?
Recently, I went to the dentist and he told me I need five fillings and that I could ONLY get gold ones ($250 each) or titanium ($300 each). I thought the fillings I got when I was younger were much cheaper. And I haven't had any problems with those...Why so much more expensive now?
Answers:
There are no titanium-based filling material on the market that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the American Dental Association, and I have not seen any experimental titanium filling material in research articles or clinical trials. I am a licensed dentist, and I have never heard of titanium being used as a filling material.
Far as I know, gold-leaf inlays are no longer common and most dental schools don't even teach doing that kind of filling anymore. Gold-leaf inlay fillings used to be popular, and up to 15 years ago it was a requirement for the California Dental Licensing Examination. Not anymore though.
Silver amalgams have been around for 100+ years and is still being used today as a standard restorative material, and tooth-colored resin composites are the other current material in use.
Definitely ask for clarification, and if you are not satisfied with the explanation, look for another dentist for a second opinion.
EDITED TO ADD: Someone who obviously knows nothing about dentistry gave all the correct answers a low rating, I see.