Whilst the thought of a dental filling may not be pleasant for some, the reason why you would need one is to treat a tooth that is suffering from decay. If left untreated your tooth could cause you a lot of pain, often consistently with no let-up.
We know that some people will experience a level of tooth pain following a filling, but not everyone does. If you are one of the unlucky ones, then there can be a variety of reasons for your tooth sensitivity.
Your teeth may feel hot, cold or pressure sensitive immediately after treatment, which is completely normal and is known as pulpitis.
Most often feeling pain immediately following treatment is simply a reaction to the physical intervention of the process. Just like a bruise or an injury will feel sore for a while as it heals, eventually, the pain will go away once the tissues have healed.
Experiencing lasting pain
Should you experience a level of lasting pain following your filling, a review with a dentist may be advised. A number of causes may need to be considered. If your filling isn’t positioned correctly this could cause a malocclusion. This is where your filling prevents your teeth from fitting together properly when you bite down.
Your dentist may need to adjust your filling or may even discover that another part of your tooth has broken down and needs repairing.
It is quite common to experience some tooth sensitivity as a result of your filling, but this should go away after a day or two. If you are still experiencing pain or worrying sensitivity a week later, then it would be sensible for you to book an appointment with your dentist to have this looked at.
Filling materials used
You could also be experiencing sensitivity because of the type of filling you have had, and the materials used to create it.
For example, it is quite common for people to feel sensitivity after having a filling made from composite resin material. If this is the case with you then it would be worth having your filling checked by your dentist as there have been reported accounts of resin fillings shrinking slightly, which creates a tiny gap beneath it.
Your dentist may replace your filling with another made from a different material.
Managing the pain
Obviously, the first thing you should do is book an appointment with your dentist to have your filling examined. They will be able to pinpoint the cause and recommend the best measures to take to correct the issue.
Should your tooth pain be caused by something like malocclusion from a filling sitting too high, your dentist will be able to adjust the height to fit better and enable you to bite and chew with more comfort.
Some tooth pain following a filling can be caused by an inflamed nerve or exposed tooth pulp. Your dentist may suggest further corrective treatment such as a root canal or the complete removal of the tooth if it cannot be saved. You could then look at replacement options such as an implant, bridge or denture.