---
title: "What Is Dental filling? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "A dental filling is a material placed in a tooth to repair a cavity or damage. It replaces the lost part and restores the tooth's shape."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-filling
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Procedures

# Dental filling

A dental filling is a material placed in a tooth to repair a cavity or damage. It replaces the lost part and restores the tooth's shape.

Dental fillings help repair tooth cavities. During a filling, a dentist removes the damaged part of the tooth and replaces it with a sturdy material. This restores the shape of the tooth so you can chew.

There are several types of fillings, including amalgam and tooth-colored options such as [composite resin](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/composite-resin) and porcelain. Your dentist can talk with you about which material suits your tooth. Depending on the material used, some fillings can last up to 20 years.

If a cavity is too big for a filling but too small for a crown, an [inlay or onlay](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/inlay) may be used. A very large cavity may need a [dental crown](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-crown). See cavity. Our office describes fillings on its [dental fillings page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/dental-fillings).

[Town Center Dental can helpDental Fillings](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/dental-fillings)

## Related terms

-   [Cavity (dental caries)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/cavity-dental-caries)
-   [Composite resin](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/composite-resin)
-   [Dental amalgam (silver filling)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-amalgam-silver-filling)
-   [Inlay](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/inlay)
-   [Dental crown](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-crown)

## Sources

1.  [Cleveland Clinic: Dental Fillings: Types, Materials & What They're For](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17002-dental-fillings)
2.  [Cleveland Clinic: Dental Fillings: Types, Materials & What They're For](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17002-dental-fillings)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)