Is there an Issue with Your Dental Filling?

One of the most common side-effects of having a dental filling is tooth sensitivity. This sensitivity should disappear by itself after a few weeks. However, if the problem persists, there are a number of things that could be wrong with your filling.

Why does My Filling Hurt?

Contact sensitivity
If your teeth hurt when you bite down or when your teeth touch, it is mostly likely your filling was not correctly fitted and is interfering with your bite. A sign that this is the cause of your pain or sensitivity is if the pain started when the anesthesia from the filling procedure wore off, and persisted long after the treatment.

Temperature Sensitivity
If you experience a sharp pain in your teeth when you eat or drink anything hot or cold, your teeth are most likely temperature sensitive. If the pain dissipates quickly, there are easy steps you can take to control your sensitivity. If the pain lingers, there may be irreversible damage to the nerves in your tooth.

Constant Throbbing Pain
If an infection has made its way through the tooth to the soft tissue inside (dental pulp), the nerves within the soft tissue will make you experience pain similar to a toothache. In this case, a root canal will most likely be recommended.

Referred pain
If you experience pain in the neighboring teeth to the tooth that received a filling, there is most likely nothing wrong with your teeth. Your nerves are most likely sending pain signals along your teeth, which should dissipate within one or two weeks.

Deteriorating Fillings
You won’t be able to tell if your filling has worn away until it starts to hurt. Constant pressure from chewing, grinding, or clenching can cause a chip or crack that allows food debris and decay-causing bacteria to get under the filling. Since you are unable to clean under the filling, your tooth will begin to decay, and the infection can spread to the tooth pulp, which will cause pain.

Allergic Reactions to Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
Although it is a rare condition, the mercury or one of the metals used in an amalgam restoration is known to trigger an allergic response in some individuals. Symptoms include skin rashes and itching.

If you think any of the above are the cause of your tooth sensitivity, pain or irritation, contact Trevor Smith Dental today for a check up. Our dentists will be able to diagnose and recommend effective treatment for your dental issue.