Reasons you may have tooth sensitivity after filling
Tooth sensitivity after a filling is normal, especially if you have undergone an extensive filling.
However, as soon as you leave the clinic, numbness or any minor pain must recede within 2 hours. If not, it may indicate that your filling hasn’t taken well to the tooth, and you might need to revisit the clinic.
This article has a few of the main reasons to have tooth sensitivity after filling.
Why do fillings cause sensitivity?
Irritated nerve
An irritated nerve is normal when an intense filling is placed. Irritated nerves may result in swelling and might cause discomfort. Your cementum and enamel generally safeguard your nerve from revelation, but intense filings might reach to the endings of nerves and cause sharp, uncomfortable sensations. Nonetheless, this condition can subside after a while.
Abnormal bite alignment
One of the main factors of correctly placing and fitting a filling is ensuring it aligns perfectly with the person’s bite alignment. A filling that is not appropriately fitted might affect the patient’s bite, which might cause pain for some reasons.
If the filling is too large, it might cause further pressure as the patient bites down, and this pressure may cause pain and discomfort. It is common to experience sensitivity while eating after your dental treatment, but the bite must correct itself after the next few weeks.
If the filling does not revise itself, you would require to revisit the clinic and get it filed down.
Pulpitis
It occurs when the pulp inside your tooth becomes swollen, which leads to discomfort and pain. Nonetheless, pulpitis is rare in small fillings, it might occur when:
- Tooth has encountered a trauma, injury, or an accident, resulting in a broken or cracked tooth.
- The cavity was intense and had strained the inmost pulp.
- Your contrived tooth has undergone a couple of fillings in the past.
Can pulpitis be treated?
If the pulpitis has damaged and reached your nerve so terribly it could not be treated, you will have to undergo a root canal process to treat a sprained tooth.
Nonetheless, pulpitis might not lead to this situation if your pulp stays healthy and only a small swelling has occurred. A dentist can treat pulpitis through a root canal or a filling procedure.
Causes of tooth pain, discomfort, and sensitivity after a filling
If you are bearing pain or sensitivity after a filling, there might be some reasons why:
If the tooth is sensitive after a filling- this condition is common after a filling has been completed. It’s essential to neglect cold and hot foods for around 10 to 12 hours as your filling sets. You might get pain relief within seven to nine days, and sensitivity must stop after 15 to 30 days. If it stays longer, it is recommended to visit your dentist.
Loose or broken fillings- if the filling has been imperfectly fitted or has not been taken deftly along with the original tooth, it might cause discomfort and pain. This condition can be revised by revisiting the dental clinic and getting the filling replaced.
Sensitive reaction to your filling- few patients have an allergy to metal which might influence how their teeth react to the filling. It is important that you notify your dentist about your allergy and they might recommend some other material such as resin or porcelain for your filling.
If you are suffering tooth sensitivity after filling, you can plan a dental check-up with our team at Grandview Dental Clinic. We can provide and assess a solution for a sensitive tooth, whether it includes applying a new filling or refitting it.