So you’ve just gotten a filling. After going home and settling down, though, you start to feel pain in the tooth was just fixed. Is this normal? Did something go wrong during your dental procedure? Should you be concerned? Below, the common causes of tooth sensitivity after filling cavities are discussed. The common treatments for this sort of pain and sensitivity are also outlined so that you can see what sort of options are out there for those with tooth pain.
When Does Your Filling Hurt?
It’s important to know exactly what sort of pain you are experiencing. This will help distinguish between common filling pain and more seriously dental procedure complications. Tooth pain and sensitivity normally associated with a filling includes sensitivity to:
Normally, tooth sensitivity after filling fluctuates depending on the circumstance. For the above circumstances, your pain should decrease over time until your filling no longer bothers you. Constant pain is a sign of trouble, though. You may have a more serious problem, such as a secondary infection, if you experience red-hot swelling, puss, fever, or stinging of the cavity sight. If this happens, go to your dentist or to the emergency room immediately before the infection progresses.
The Two Types of Filling Pain
When the anesthesia wears off, you may begin to feel a more serious form of tooth sensitivity. The following two types of tooth pain are reasons to go see your dentist, because each is due to a problem during the filling process. The first type of pain occurs when your filling is higher than your bite. Each time you bite down, your top teeth apply pressure to the new filling, causing pain in your tooth. For this type of tooth pain, simply go back to your dentist to get the filling reshaped.
Another type of tooth pain is a sharp shock that occurs whenever the tooth is touched. This occurs because two different metals in your mouth produce an electric shock when they combine together. Often, this is due to an amalgam filling meeting with a gold filling. If this becomes a painful problem, go to your dentist to receive a different style of filling.
Fillings that Need Replaced
One last source of tooth pain is a filling that has simply been in your tooth for too long. Fillings are not meant to last forever and must be replaced when they become worn or loose. Sometimes, a filling will fall out completely, requiring immediate dental attention. Other times, a filling will become cracked, allowing bacteria to grow. This results in decay and even a secondary cavity in a tooth that has already been filled. So, if you’ve had a filling for a long time and have just begun to experience pain, you may need to seek out a dentist who can check the filling’s strength.
Tooth Pain and Aches
As you can see, there are many different reasons that you may be experiences tooth sensitivity after filling a cavity. Most people experience some minor sensitivity right after a cavity has been filled. If you experience shooting or deep, aching pain, see a dentist to get your filling reshaped. If you notice pain in a filling that you’ve had for a while, have a dentist check the filling.