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Dentistry vocabulary · Fillings and Restorations

Filling

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ˈfɪlɪŋ/nounCore term

In dentistry, filling means: Material placed in a tooth to repair the hole left after decay is removed, or to rebuild a broken part, so that the tooth regains its shape and function.

In Turkish: dolgu, dolgu tedavisi

How it is used

The everyday word; in reports dentists often write restoration. You place or replace a filling, and patients have or get one. A filling can fall out, crack or leak. Types include composite, amalgam and glass ionomer.

Example sentences

  1. You'll need a small filling on the upper left side.

  2. My old filling fell out while I was eating.

Common collocations

  • have a filling
  • white filling
  • replace a filling
  • the filling fell out
  • filling material
  • compositeA tooth-colored filling material made of resin mixed with fine glass or ceramic particles. It is bonded to the tooth and usually hardened with a blue curing light.
  • amalgamA silver-gray filling material made by mixing mercury with a powder of silver, tin and copper. It is strong and long-lasting but does not match the color of the tooth.
  • cavityA hole in a tooth caused by decay. In restorative dentistry it also means the space the dentist shapes in the tooth before placing a filling.
  • temporary fillingA simple filling placed for a short time, for example between visits during root canal treatment or while a crown is being made.

More terms: Fillings and Restorations

Practise with graded reading

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.