Filling

In kid words

A filling is a tiny patch that fills the little hole a cavity left behind, so your tooth feels smooth and strong again. The dentist cleans out the soft part first, then tucks the patch right into place and shines a special light to make it hard. After that, you can bite and chew again just like before.

The parent version

Filling is the general dental word for restoring a tooth once a cavity has been cleaned out, replacing the affected area with a durable material shaped to fit the space left behind. The dentist removes the decayed portion first, then places and shapes the filling material directly against the healthy tooth around it, so the tooth can go back to normal biting and chewing.

Dentistry has used a few different filling materials over the years, and mainstream sources describe more than one option. Our practice places tooth-colored composite fillings that preserve healthy tooth structure. Which approach fits a particular cavity depends on the tooth itself, so ask your pediatric dentist.

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Where you might hear it at our office

This word tends to come up right after a cavity is found, since a filling is usually the next step from there. Our restorative dentistry care is built around tooth-colored fillings shaped and shaded to blend with the tooth around them, so a repair reads as part of the smile rather than an add-on.

Another unfamiliar word from a visit? Browse the rest of the Kids' Dental Dictionary.

Related words

Words that often come up alongside filling: cavity, composite, crown.

Parents ask us

Does getting a filling hurt?

Every child and every tooth is a little different, and our team walks through what a visit will involve before any repair begins. Ask your pediatric dentist about comfort options for your child's specific appointment.

How long does a filling last?

That depends on things like the size of the repair, which tooth is involved and how it's cared for over time, so it can range quite a bit from child to child. Your pediatric dentist can speak to the specifics once they've seen the tooth.

Do baby teeth really need fillings if they're going to fall out anyway?

Generally, yes. Baby teeth do real work in the meantime, chewing and holding open space for the adult teeth still developing underneath, so a cavity in one is usually still treated. Whether a filling is the right fix for a specific tooth is something your pediatric dentist decides after an exam.

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