Disadvantages of the plastic filling

In order to meet the requirements of a high-quality restorative material, plastics (composites) are extremely expensive to produce. The costs for the production of one gram of filling suitable plastic is about the price of one gram of gold. In addition, both the treatment process and the subsequent grinding of an optimal plastic filling is very complex.

For these reasons it is easy to understand that such a filling has its price. Furthermore, the costs for the production of a plastic filling are only proportionately borne by the statutory health insurance companies. The patient has to pay for a difference himself.

In addition to the high costs, the susceptibility to discoloration is another disadvantage of composite fillings. The costs of a composite filling are quite variable within Germany. It is important for the patient to know that the health insurance companies only pay a part of the cost of this filling material. Moreover, plastic fillings discolour over time when smokers smoke or drink coffee and tea frequently.This is not the case with ceramic fillings.

How expensive is a plastic filling?

The statutory health insurance companies do not actually include plastic dental fillings in their service catalog. But there are exceptions. Plastic fillings are usually tooth-colored, which means that when viewed with the naked eye, there should be no difference between the filling and the tooth.

In principle, the statutory health insurance companies only pay the costs that would arise if a patient decided to have an amalgam filling. Dental amalgam fillings are still considered standard treatment. And this is exactly what the statutory health insurance companies pay for.

One exception is plastic fillings in the front teeth area. In this case, the costs are covered by the statutory health insurance companies, since a dental filling made of amalgam is not aesthetically pleasing. Unlike amalgam, plastic fillings must be produced in a multi-layer technique.

This requires more time and the material is also more expensive. That is why dentists require patients to pay extra in this case. This means that the patient has to pay the costs that go beyond a dental filling made of amalgam. Depending on the size of the filling and the amount of work required, the patient may have to pay up to 150 euros. Exactly how high the costs incurred vary from dentist to dentist.