Why Is My Tooth Sensitive After My Filling?

Following a dental filling, some people may experience tooth sensitivity and pain. Your teeth may hurt due to nerve irritation, allergic reaction, or an incorrect bite.

Sensitivity after getting fillings in a tooth is common and generally subsides with time. However, you must call your dentist immediately if you experience severe pain or the symptoms like fever and swelling.

This article explains why you may experience tooth sensitivity following a filling, treating it, and when seeing your dentist is beneficial. We also describe the causes of tooth sensitivity after restoring your tooth.

What Can You Expect After a Filling?

A filling is a procedure that involves cleaning decay from the tooth by the dentist and filling the hollow space with filling material. After giving you local anesthesia around the tooth, the dentist in Scottsdale, AZ, will clean the decayed portion of the tooth using a dental drill. Next, the dentist fills the tooth with silver amalgam, gold, composite resin, or porcelain. After the numbing agent wears off, you will experience sensitivity in the affected tooth.

How Does the Sensitivity Feel After a Filling?

If you have susceptible teeth, you might notice some triggers that cause temporarily uncomfortable sensations in the restored tooth or the surrounding area. For example, you may experience a shock of cold or unexpected pain arriving and subsiding. The triggers that might cause tooth sensitivity include cold foods or beverages, hot drinks, experiencing sensitivity when the tooth is exposed to air by mouth breathing, sugary foods, acidic foods, and beverages, or biting down when eating.

Causes of Tooth Sensitivity

Temporary sensitivity after a filling procedure is common. However, if you experience persistent sensitivity is likely due to other reasons that need treatment. Below are some possible causes of sensitivity with explanations of when to see the dentist.

• Irritated Nerves: irritated nerves causing inflammation in the nerve inside the tooth result in short-term sensitivity. The tooth’s outer layer, the enamel, and dentin protect the nerve from exposure. Unfortunately, deep fillings can get near the nerve endings to, cause irritation and uncomfortable sensations. The sensitivity will subside as the nerve heals but may require a few days or weeks. When the nerve heals fully, you will likely feel no difference between the restored tooth and your remaining teeth.
• Incorrect Bite Alignment: general dentistry professionals ensure the tooth filling lines up with your remaining teeth. You may experience minor sensitivity when biting in the days following the procedure, and the sensitivity will subside by itself. Unfortunately, if the filling is too high, it causes extra pressure when you bite. The extra pressure causes pain and post-filling sensitivity. If you experience severe sensitivity or have difficulty eating and putting your teeth together, you must ask the professionals to check your bite. The dentist will correctly smooth the High Point of the filling when you bite and eliminate discomfort.
• Pulpits: pulpits cause inflammation of the dental pulp at the center of your tooth. Although pulpits do not occur with minor fillings, they can happen if the tooth has a deep cavity, has undergone multiple procedures, or has trauma from accidents resulting in cracks and broken teeth.
• Allergic Reactions: if you received silver amalgam fillings, you may experience allergic reactions to the filler. You may also be sensitive to the latex gloves used by the dentist during your procedure.

Preventing Tooth Sensitivity

Regardless of how you prepare, the impact of a filling can cause tooth sensitivity. Therefore you must practice good oral hygiene to prevent the problem. Following the filling procedure, you can minimize the discomfort by avoiding excessively hot or cold foods and beverages better uncomfortable to chew.

Treating a Sensitive Tooth

You can use the below-mentioned methods at home to minimize tooth sensitivity. They are:

• Over-the-counter pain delivers.
• Topical numbing agents and gels designed for your mouth.
• Brushing with dental circular strokes on your teeth and gums.
• Rinsing your mouth with water after having acidic foods or beverages.
• Avoiding brushing your teeth soon or creating or breaking acidic foods or beverages because it can cause enamel erosion.

If the tooth sensitivity does not subside after a few days following the filling procedure, discussing the problem with the dental office providing the fillers is essential. The dentist can rule out other causes of the sensitivity unrelated to the filling.

When To See a Dentist for Sensitivity after Fillings?

Following a filling procedure, there is no reason for panic if you experience sensitivity because you can comfortably relieve the problem with Homecare and using desensitizing toothpaste. You can also request a routine dental checkup by the dentist to determine the causes of sensitivity. However, if the pain worsens, contact the dentist immediately because you might find it challenging to eat or experience other symptoms like toothaches or fever.

Conclusion

Fillings are safe and effective in restoring teeth affected by cavities and last several years before needing replacements. As long as you care for your teeth by brushing and flossing them daily and getting checkups and cleanings from a dentist, it helps prevent future cavities. Sensitivity after the filling procedure is typical and expected. However, if you experience extreme sensitivity, you must discuss your situation with the dentist to ascertain the condition of your tooth and provide corrective measures.

Experiencing tooth sensitivity after a filling procedure is not uncommon and expected. However, if you experience tooth sensitivity with toothaches and fever, it helps to contact Mercado Dental Center to examine the tooth and provide appropriate remedies to alleviate the pain.