4 Persuasive Reasons to Get Tooth-Colored Fillings As Soon As Possible

Perhaps you don’t have time in your busy schedule, but the holiday season is just around the corner. Maybe you think you’ll have more room in your budget in a few months, but probably not. There are many reasons you can come up with for putting off getting your small cavity filled, but they all fall flat upon closer inspection. In fact, you have tons of reasons why you should get the tooth-colored filling as soon as possible! Here are just four of them.

Reason #1: Putting Off Fillings Could Lead to a Crown.

If you’ve been waiting to treat a small cavity with a filling, you leave the tooth vulnerable to additional decay and damage. In fact, the longer you postpone treatment, the worse the problem will likely get. A small cavity that may be addressed with a filling today may become a bigger cavity and require a crown or more later. Your best bet is to take care of the problem soon.

Reason #2: A Filling Is Cheaper Than a Crown.

Not only are fillings the least invasive treatment in restorative dental care, but they are also the least expensive. This means that more advanced restorations, including a crown, will cost you more than treating an issue with a filling.

But wait, you may be thinking, you have dental insurance! Doesn’t that lower your bill? Yes, your out-of-pocket amount for a crown would be lower with dental insurance than without it, but coverage is based on percentages. While 70 to 80 percent of the cost of tooth-colored fillings is typically covered for you, crowns cost more. For more major work, you pay about 50 percent of the total yourself. In other words, you could save significantly, with or without dental insurance, by getting a filling sooner instead of a crown later.

Reason #3: Your Dental Insurance Benefits Will Reset with the New Year.

In nearly every dental insurance policy, there is a set amount that your insurance company is willing to pay toward your dental care for the year. If you don’t use this available coverage, it does not carry over into the next year unfortunately. Simply put, your benefits reset when it becomes January 1.

Reason #4: You Can Use FSA Money for Fillings.

Do you have a flexible spending account (FSA)? This pre-tax money is meant to be spent on medical and dental expenses, including fillings. Put another way, you can use specifically set aside money to pay for your fillings. Plus, FSA money must be used within the calendar year, or it becomes no longer available. Basically, if you have FSA money still in your account, why not use it to treat your smile before you lose it in 2024?

Ultimately, you can try to justify waiting to fill a cavity, but the reasons for getting it done sooner rather than later are much stronger! So don’t put it off any longer. Treat the tooth now so you can enjoy a healthier smile and lower costs.

About the Author

Following earning his dental degree, Dr. Jason Aptaker completed a General Practice Residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he gained experience and exposure to the healthcare system. He takes challenging continuing education coursework so that he stays up to date with the latest innovations in dentistry. If you have a tooth that needs to be treated with a filling, call his Wall Township practice, Shore Points General and Implant Dentistry, at 732-223-9199 or visit the Contact Us page here.