Occlusal
The chewing surface of a molar: the top that contacts the tooth in the opposing jaw.
Fillings explained
A tooth has more than one surface.
Dentists use surfaces to name exactly where a filling or other procedure is located. That makes a “two-surface filling” much less abstract.
Back to dental codes
The map of one molar
One tooth, five surfaces you can point to.
A filling is not only “a cavity”; its place on the tooth matters too. That is why a code describes how many surfaces belong to one restoration.
Mesial
The side pointing towards the centre line of the dental arch.
Distal
The side pointing away from the centre line of the dental arch.
Buccal
The outside facing the cheek. For front teeth, “labial” is often used for the lip side.
Lingual / palatal
The inside facing the tongue; for upper teeth this side is also called palatal, towards the palate.
Why can this appear on an invoice?
The number of surfaces helps describe the performance.
For composite fillings, V91 to V95 describe the extent of a restoration on one tooth. These are maximum tariffs per performance; a plan or invoice can also show other, separate lines.
- V91one surface
- V92two surfaces
- V93three surfaces
- V94four or more surfaces
- V95complete shape restoration of a tooth or molar
