A tooth filling procedure is supposed to restore form and function to a tooth, as well as remove any discomfort or pain that may have been experienced because of a cavity. Some degree of normal post-filling sensitivity can be expected for a day or two after your procedure, but as time goes on, this should fade. Are your teeth sensitive after fillings? Let’s take a look at what could be causing it and what you can do for relief.
Sensitivity After A Filling: What’s Normal?
Dental fillings do an important job of stopping tooth decay before it progresses into a bigger problem that can result in tooth loss. But some patients will experience sensitivity after a filling.
In some patients, this can be due to a deep cavity or tooth decay that reaches close to a tooth nerve, which would result in normal post-filling sensitivity. In other instances, it may be because the dental drill got too close to the nerve while your dentist was removing decayed matter. In other cases, sensitivity may be because the filling was built up too high and causes pressure when you bite down.
Teeth Sensitive After Fillings: What Should You Do?
It can be expected to feel some tooth sensitivity for a day or two after dental fillings, and this is most common with deep decay or when a large filling had to be used to restore the bite. Any tooth sensitivity should fade in the first three days after visiting your dentist.
Teeth Sensitive After Fillings: What Could Go Wrong?
A Loose Filling
Sometimes a filling can shrink back after the tooth filling procedure.
This can occur with composite resin fillings, and the result is that the filling does not cover up the cavity fully.
This means that debris and bacteria can still penetrate your tooth, which may cause sensitivity.
Pressure When Biting
Because dental fillings are performed under anaesthetic, your mouth may still be numb by the time the dental fillings are done and you go home. This means you can’t check your bite properly immediately after the tooth filling procedure, so some adjustment may need to be made. If you feel sensitivity when biting down it is quite possible that your dentist needs to adjust the filling to make it fit better.
Residual Dental Decay
If the dental decay was extensive, it is possible that not all of the infected material was removed. In this case, you may notice pain or discomfort beginning a week or two after your dental fillings were done. If this is the case, you will need to return to your dentist to have the cavity cleaned out and a new filling placed.
Infected Tooth Pulp
If the pain persists a week or two after your fillings are complete, it could be a sign of infected tooth pulp that wasn’t picked up on a dental x-ray. If this is the case you will need to return to your dentist for a root canal treatment.
Teeth sensitive after fillings? It’s best to contact your dentist immediately with any concerns. Please schedule an appointment: (03) 5749 1208.
