D2140 — Amalgam filling — one surface (silver filling)
Amalgam is the silver-grey filling material that generations of dentists used as the default for back teeth. D2140 is the single-surface version.
It is the default code in a group of four, and the one whose fee is normally quoted when this treatment is discussed. Our amalgam restoration guide covers the procedure in depth.
This page explains what that code number commits the office to, what it usually costs, how plans treat it, and — the part that causes most of the confusion — how it differs from the codes sitting immediately either side of it.
Reading D2140
Extent — a single surface. Only one face of the tooth is involved, so the outline stays inside the tooth's own contours and nothing about the contact with the tooth next door has to be rebuilt.
Material — silver-grey amalgam. Amalgam is an alloy of silver, tin and copper bound with mercury, mixed at the chairside and packed into the cavity, where it sets hard. It is not bonded to the tooth — it is held by the shape of the preparation — which is why amalgam cavities are cut with slightly undercut walls and take a little more healthy tooth with them. In exchange it tolerates moisture, costs less than anything else, and routinely lasts two decades under heavy load. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D2140 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Told apart from the codes it is confused with
D2150 — Amalgam filling — two surfaces: It covers two surfaces instead of a single surface.
D2160 — Amalgam filling — three surfaces: It covers three surfaces instead of a single surface.
D2161 — Amalgam filling — four or more surfaces: It covers four or more surfaces instead of a single surface.
Those three codes and D2140 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. The practical point: confirm which of these is going on the claim before treatment, not after. Corrections after submission mean a resubmission, a delay, and occasionally a fee you did not expect.
Every code in this group
These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D2140 | Amalgam filling — one surface (silver filling) — this page |
| D2150 | Amalgam filling — two surfaces |
| D2160 | Amalgam filling — three surfaces |
| D2161 | Amalgam filling — four or more surfaces |
Questions about D2140
What is D2140 on my dental bill?
It is the entry for amalgam filling, one surface, silver filling. A practice cannot use it for anything broader than that, which is what makes the code useful to you.
Is D2140 expensive?
Typically $110–$290 before insurance, depending on local fees and the complexity of the individual case.
How do dental plans handle D2140?
Most plans include it under basic benefits, typically 70–80% after deductible. A pre-treatment estimate is the only way to know your own number in advance.
What is the difference between D2140 and D2150?
D2150 is amalgam filling, two surfaces: it covers two surfaces instead of a single surface. Because that is the only difference, a reviewer who disagrees with it simply reprices the claim to D2150 rather than refusing it.
Also known as: silver filling, amalgam, metal filling, back tooth filling.