How Much Does a Inlay/Onlay Cost?

What you are paying for

What goes into the cost of a inlay/onlay

An inlay or onlay usually costs between $650 and $1,500 without insurance, with about $1,000 typical. That places it between a filling and a crown, which is where it sits clinically as well. The fee is higher than a filling's because the work is indirect: two appointments instead of one, an impression or scan, a temporary, and a lab that makes a custom piece in ceramic, composite or gold. It normally includes all of those stages plus the bonding visit. X-rays and the exam are often separate, as is a liner or buildup if the cavity is deep, and root canal treatment if the nerve proves to be affected. Insurance can produce a surprise here, since some plans pay for an inlay only at the rate of a filling of the same size.

Ways the bill can come down

Ask the office to send a pre-treatment estimate, and ask specifically whether your plan pays for an inlay or onlay at its own rate or substitutes the benefit for a filling. Discuss materials, since lab-processed composite may cost less than ceramic or gold. It is fair to ask your dentist whether a direct filling would be a sound choice for this tooth and what you would give up in durability. If the answer is that the tooth needs the stronger option, accept it. Dental schools provide inlays and onlays at reduced fees. If you have an annual maximum, consider where this treatment falls in your benefit year alongside other planned work.

Table 1 — Factors that affect inlay/onlay cost

Factors That Affect Inlay/Onlay Cost

1. 01

   Inlay or onlay, and how much it covers

   An inlay within the cusps is the smaller job. An onlay that replaces one cusp costs more, and one that covers the entire chewing surface approaches the fee for a crown.

2. 02

   Material

   Ceramic is the most common choice and matches the tooth. Lab-processed composite generally costs less. Gold is durable and gentle on opposing teeth, and its price follows the metal market.

3. 03

   Lab-made or milled in the office

   A piece made by an outside lab carries the lab's fee. An office that designs and mills ceramic restorations on site replaces that fee with equipment costs, and prices are often similar.

4. 04

   Size and position of the tooth

   A large molar restoration uses more material and is harder to reach and keep dry for bonding than one on a premolar, which is reflected in the fee.

5. 05

   What the tooth needs underneath

   Deep decay may need a protective base or a buildup before the impression. A tooth whose nerve is inflamed needs root canal treatment first, which changes the whole plan.

6. 06

   How your plan classifies it

   Onlays are often treated as major work alongside crowns. Inlays are sometimes reimbursed as if they were ordinary fillings, leaving you the difference.

Table 2 — Payment options

Payment Options

• Dental Insurance

  Plans usually pay part of the cost of covered procedures after a deductible, up to an annual maximum. Ask for a pre-treatment estimate.

• Payment Plans

  Many dentists offer in-house financing or work with CareCredit.

• Dental Discount Plans

  A yearly membership that gives reduced fees at participating dentists. Not insurance; check what it covers.

• Dental Schools

  Dental school clinics charge lower fees for care by supervised students. Appointments take longer.