Restoration Surface
Definition
The specific face(s) of a tooth carrying a filling or other restoration. Surfaces are abbreviated M (mesial), D (distal), O (occlusal), B (buccal), L (lingual), F (facial). A five-surface restoration is called a MODBL or similar compound abbreviation.
- Field
- Forensic odontology
- Mesial
- M, surface toward the midline
- Distal
- D, surface away from the midline
- Occlusal
- O, chewing surface of posterior teeth
- Buccal/Lingual
- B/L, cheek-side and tongue-side surfaces
Common questions
Why do restoration surface codes matter for identification?+
A dental chart recording which surfaces are restored on which teeth is a highly individualizing pattern. Matching the surface combination and restoration material against antemortem records is central to comparative dental identification of remains.
How are multiple surfaces on one restoration written together?+
Surface letters are combined in the order the surfaces are involved, for example MOD for a restoration covering mesial, occlusal, and distal surfaces, without spaces or punctuation between the letters.
Does the surface code alone identify the filling material used?+
No, the surface abbreviation only records location. Material such as amalgam, composite, or gold is charted separately and both pieces of information together strengthen a postmortem-to-antemortem comparison.
Related terms
- Ante-Mortem Record
- Any dental document created during a person's lifetime: clinical charts, radiographs (periapical, panoramic, bitewing), photographs, study models, and treatment notes. These are...
- Dental Chart
- A systematic tooth-by-tooth record of the clinical state of a dentition, including restorations, missing teeth, prosthetics, pathology, and morphological features. Both ante-mortem...
- INTERPOL DVI
- The INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification process, governed by the INTERPOL DVI Guide (current edition 2018). Dental data are recorded on colour-coded forms:...
- Pontic
- The artificial tooth in a fixed bridge that spans the gap left by a missing tooth. The pontic is not attached to...
- Post-Mortem Dental Record
- The dental chart completed by a forensic odontologist during examination of deceased remains. Created under autopsy or scene conditions, often from partially...