Pain After White Composite Filling -

If I am experiencing pain because of my new composite fillings, should I wait a week or so to see if the pain goes away or urgently see my dentist? I experience pain whenever I eat anything.

Dear Liza,

There are many reasons for discomfort after a white filling, so it is hard for me to give you a detailed answer. Check the post below for more information, but I would suggest you contact your dentist as this could escalate into something worse. Probably, as the article above mentions, the bite is off or the bond failed.
I hope you get this resolved – don’t “Wait” for it to get better on its own!

Hi,

I had a composite white filling done on a back molar yesterday and as soon as the numbing wore off, I started experiencing spontaneous pain from that tooth (or that area). It’s a significant twinge, and then it goes away. It seems to occur regardless what I’m doing and not noticeably more when I eat or drink hot or cold drinks. The pain is sharp enough that it woke me up a few times last night, but not lasting enough that I didn’t easily fall back asleep.

The only thing of note that occurred during the procedure was that not enough anesthesia was used and I jerked when he hit the nerve. I’m not sure if he hit something else with the drill or not. He didn’t comment on it, so I assume not.

I’m going to be heading out of the country in a few days, and I’m really worried that something is wrong. I’ve never had pain after a filling before and this is a new dentist. I have an appt later this afternoon, but I’m really stressing out on what could have happened. Any guidance/hunches/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
C

Dear C,

You should not have pain after a white filling. I have written about this exact issue (I am asked about this all the time):

http://www.idealdentistry.com/dentistry/pain-after-white-composite-filling/

To summarize, either the bond is bad or the tooth is flexing. Both usually require the filling to be redone. If it is hitting too high then you would have mentioned that it seems to be “high”, but you said it was spontaneous.

Most dentists will just “adjust” the bite, but if the bite is too high then I recommend you ask the filling be redone. Then, when it is redone, the field needs to be dry and the bonding needs to be done in small increments…this is something the dentist should know about.

I wish you the best!

Smile, It’s Natural,
Dr. Chris

Hi,

I visited my dentist today, and he shaved some of the filling off, like you suspected he would. After I left, the zinging pain still continued, again, sporadically and at random intervals. When I called him back this evening, he said that sometimes this happens and that I should just take Ibuprofen over the next few days and the tooth will “settle down”. He said he wouldn’t recommend redoing the filling as it would only make it worse. Are these accurate statements? As a precaution, I did book an appt at another dentist for this Thursday, but now I’m fearful that them redoing it will cause more pain, like my dentist said, and then I’ll be getting on a plane to leave for a foreign country.

I’m not really sure what to do. A third dentist office was the one to recommend calling my original dentist back and explaining my pain. That didn’t seem to do any good.

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks,
C

I had another thought. Before I went into the dentist I was noticing that when I ate very sugary foods on that side of my mouth I would get zinging pain. When he looked over there, he saw this cavity. I’m wondering if the two were actually unrelated, and during the filling procedure he agitated the area of my tooth that was sensitive before. Like the dentin was exposed previously, and now it’s exposed a lot more after the filling. Is that a potential reason for the pain?

Well, as a dentist, with 25 years of experience behind me, and many thousands of composite filings placed I would like to comment on the text presented above.
First, when cavity is deep and extensive, act of prepping the tooth will itself introduce significant trauma to the living tissue; It is like a large wound…..like when you cut yourself. Do you expect to feel pain free just because you placed band aid over it? Sure, not. Time is needed for healing to take place. Tooth is the same..My respectable colleague has many good points and sure, if tooth is sensitive this can be alarm for more serious problem. However, many sensitive teeth get better over the time, and composite is much better material then amalgam in situations like this…
In dentistry there are not many black-white situations…. rather many shades of color BTW. pain and no pain….. Fact is that even intact teeth can be source of pain, for variety of reasons. Large restorations are attempt to restore tooth to its previous function and form….and it is not always successful story.
My former professor of restorative dentistry us to advise us: Do not bother to restore teeth with deep and large cavities with filing alone, there is no future for the tooth, without performing root canal, post, core and placing the crown over it…that is the safest and most predictable way to intercept any possible trouble including sensitivity. But, how many of you will go for that advise…….root canal? You just want filing and to go home……..
And for the end, why not trusting your dentist? I would. I am sure he has your best interest in his mind, when working on your tooth……

Dear Dr. Nash,
Thank you for your feedback. It is true, working on a tooth causes trauma and possible pain. That being said, there are many ways to prevent post-operative discomfort, as described in the article. Many composite fillings are placed incorrectly and cause unnecessary trauma. That is the focus on the article.

Secondly, I must somewhat disagree with the root canal, post and core, and crown philosophy. Certainly there are indications where the tooth cannot be restored with a “filling”, and then this approach has been deemed appropriate by the profession. Yet, I would pretty much do anything for my patients to avoid a root canal as it is my opinion that this procedure will result in a constant low grade assault to the immune system (even the best root canal is not able to remove all the material in the tooth), forever. Quickly the option of a dental implant is becoming the option of choice over a root canal treated tooth.

Smile, It’s Natural,
Dr. Chris

i also agree that root canal is not always the answer. I went 3 or 4 months with pain after a white filling… one side was relieved after shaving however the other side was still hurting. The dentist said i should have a root canal which i refused. I made an appt to have my tooth pulled instead of pay another $700. HOWEVER, the dentist, went ahead and shaved it down more and gave me a prescription for an antibioitic. Within a few days the pain was gone.. I cant beleive i was about to be out of hundreds of dollars or worse lose my tooth for a simple bite that was STILL too high..

Yes, the “bite” is critical. Teeth are very sensitive and if you don’t adjust the bite perfectly then the tooth slowly gets inflamed and eventually could die…
Never wait for something in dentistry to “go away” by itself. Always have your dentist check. Adjusting the bite is easy and in your case saved your tooth!
Good call.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Is it common for a technician to incorrectly adjust the “bite” after applying the filling? I had this problem and I didn’t know about adjusting the bite and my teeth became so inflamed I was waking up at 4:00 AM for a week crying with pain. After I went back into the dentist and a technician that did not do the fillings the first time shaved the teeth down I’ve been slowly getting better but it seems like incompetence on the part of the first technician. How difficult is it for a technician to figure this kind of thing out?

Dear Misty,

In some states, including Kentucky, dental assistants can perform a significant part of the filling, including adjusting the bite.
The challenge is that right after the filling is completed the mouth usually is still numb which makes adjusting the bite a tad bit more difficult, even for the dentist. What we tell our patients is that if after the numbness wears off and the bite does not feel perfect, stop by and we will adjust it then as you won’t be numb anymore.
So, While a “really” high bite is rare, it can happen. Experience does help when it comes to getting the bite right the first time.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi,
I had a 3 fillings placed yesterday in my back left molar. I went in because they were hurting. Now after the composite fillings have been placed I have been in more pain. It is a constant throbbing pain that I am unable to completly get rid of even on pain killers. Do I need to get them re done? or is this a serious issue? how long should this pain last?

Dar Angie,

It sounds like the root of the tooth is involved…It could be that the fillings were very deep, but most likely a dentist will take an x-ray and determine that the tooth needs a root canal treatment…sorry. I would recommend you have a specialist do the root canal should you need one! Then you would need a build-up inside that tooth and a crown on top of it. That should take care of the pain.

It could also be conceivable that the filling was placed very poorly and in that case would need to be redone correctly, but, if you see the same dentist to look at that tooth they will most likely go the root canal route. A second opinion may be advisable.

Hope this helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had a white filling placed in an upper molar. I have no other fillings in my back teeth. Right after my tooth hurt when I chewed on it and was sensitive to cold. I went back and he shaved it off a little saying it was too high. It got 85% better but I still get pain in the tooth when I bit something tough or hard. It’s been 4 weeks now. I have another appointment next week but I’m losing confidence in the dentist because it wasn’t fixed the first time. Would you suggest I go to another dentist to have it reevaluated or just wait it out? My husband has had many cavities and never had any pain. Then again he hasn’t had any white ones. Since this is my first cavity in a molar I have nothing to compare it to. Any advise would be appreciated.

Dear Caroline,

I wrote a blog post specifically on this subject! Check it out here:
http://www.idealdentistry.com/dentistry/pain-after-white-composite-filling/

There are many things that could be the issue, ranging from the bite being off, still, to the filling being bad. If this dos not get resolved at the next visit I would seek out a second opinion. Redoing the filling may be necessary…

I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

I got 2 fillings done on my upper right teeth 3 weeks ago. It felt like the white filling was slapped on, but didn’t think much of it. It was kind of hard to floss, but just figured that was normal. No pain after the filling.

The past few days, I have had extreme, severe pain on the right side of my mouth. It was hard to even determine if it was the top or bottom or where the pain was coming from. I didn’t even think it was related to the fillings, because I figured the pain would have been there from the beginning. The pain was much worse in the night and I would wake up several times in pain. I booked to see the dentist that day. My dentist wasn’t in, so I asked to see anyone who could see me.

The dentist asked for X-rays to be done, and it didn’t show anything except for the fillings being too high. She did the test with blue paper and got me to bite on some tube thing and tapped my teeth. She filed down the tooth and said it can provide immediate relief for some people, while for others, it can take a few days. She gave me a muscle relaxant, which I didn’t take.

Last night was horrible. I woke up about 6-8 times in severe pain. Initially I was fine when I woke up and now it is hurting terribly. The X-ray would’ve shown the need for a root canal, right? If this really will subside and is a matter of getting worse before getting better, I can take the pain. But I didn’t expect this level of pain from a high filling, nor this level of pain after having it filed down. Is this normal!!?

Dear Rita,

Sorry to hear you are having such trouble with your teeth..here is what I think needs to be done:
First, you can’t tell from an x-ray that the filling is to “high”, that is something you can determine only clinically.
Secondly, the way you describe the pain to me I am thinking the root is infected. Aching, especially at night, is a pretty clear cut sign that the tooth is dead or dying.
Since you did not have the pain immediately I would expect to see one of the following scenarios:
First, the filling probably is very deep. Secondly, since you mentioned is was hard to floss I bet the filling was not placed very well and possibly not bonded right. This would lead to leakage and eventually sensitivity, decay and root death. Also, since the dentist did adjust the bite I imagine the bite was also off, another problem.

Regardless, the x-ray may not show immediately the need for a root canal treatment, but eventually it will. Right now you need to have that white filling removed and replaced correctly. This may not solve the problem as the tooth may be beyond saving, but it is a good conservative first step.

I would encourage you to post the x-ray, anonymously, here on the blog or on the facebook page so I can evaluate it. The dentist should be able to quickly send a digital copy to you.

All the best,
Dr. Chris

Thanks so much for the quick reply.

A couple further questions. I have been reading lots of different forums and such related to this, which gives me both hope, and worry!

I read somewhere that if they do the test with the metal device and tap your teeth and there is no pain, that it’s a good sign? Also when she had me bite down and release on that other instrument, there was no pain either. No sensitivity to hot/cold either. It’s all kind of bizarre. It doesn’t particularly hurt when I bite down or eat, either. Just this very painful, intermittent pain. Usually lasts about 20-30 mins.

Last night, I decided to bite the bullet and take a muscle relaxant. I slept through the night, and as far as I know, had no pain. Woke up with a little soreness, but NOTHING close to what I had experienced in previous nights. Good sign?? This is where I get addicted to muscle relaxants! LOL! I kid, I kid 🙂

Dear Rita,

Somehow I am not getting updates on responses to comments, sorry! I am not sure if I responded to you yet, so here I go again…ignore me if I repeat myself 🙂

So yes, good signs and easy fix! The “percussion” test, or tapping test, as well as the biting test both prove that you probably don’t have a cracked tooth. Since you felt better after taking muscle relaxants you now know that you grind and clench your teeth at night! Now, this means you need a bite adjustment and a good nightguard. That is a quick and easy fix, well, not easy really as most nightguards are made incorrectly! So, find a good TMD doctor to do this for you and when you wake up in the morning with your perfectly fitted and adjusted nightguard your tooth and jaw will feel perfect!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Oh, one more thing…

I remember the dentist talking to the assistant when booking my appointments for my fillings, saying, “It’s not too bad, but we might as well do them now before they worsen,” … I assumed this meant, perhaps, that the filling wouldn’t be too deep?

I went to the dentist in mid-December and was told that I have several cavities. Some were new and some were old fillings that needed to be replaced. I’ve had almost all of the work done, and I have major concerns about how my mouth is adjusting to these fillings.

I had 2 fillings on my front 2 teeth and I need 2 more on the teeth right next to them that will be done next week. I have almost constant dull pain in 2 of my front teeth (one that has already be filled and one that still needs the filling). It has been over 1 month since these teeth were filled. When I went the the dentist on Friday, he said that my front teeth were probably sore from grinding at night. I know that I do grind, and I just took impressions for a mouth guard. The dentist didn’t even re-x-ray these teeth because he said that new cavities take 6 months-1 year to form, and since my x-rays were only a month old, that we’d try the mouth guard first. But I’m really worried that the nerve in my tooth is dying and nothing is being done about it.

I also had a filling on one of my lower left molars about a week ago. This tooth was very hard to get numb during the procedure and required several shots of Novocaine. I didn’t really feel any pain during the drilling, but when the actual filling was being placed, my tooth did hurt a bit. When I got home at first, my tooth was EXTREMELY sensitive to cold. That seems to be going away. But I can’t eat on that side or I feel a sharp pain shoot through my tooth. The dentist tried to adjust my bite this Friday, but my tooth was so sensitive to the drill that he couldn’t finish and said we’d look at it again next week. Did this filling bond improperly, or is it really just a high bite? Is my tooth cracked?

None of the new fillings seem to be “right.” I go to a reputable dentist and am not sure what’s going wrong here. I don’t know what to do and feel like a pest to my dentist. Any advice is appreciated.

Dear Sarah,

Sounds like there is an issue with the placement of the fillings…I would stop getting teeth worked on until the ones you already had filled feel perfect.

Did the front teeth hurt before the fillings were placed? Were the fillings deep? It is somewhat hard to help without seeing those teeth…
A nightguard is helpful in almost all situations, but, most nightguards are not adjust correctly and cause more harm than good. For one, the nightguard must be rock solid, not soft…

I would assume the front fillings were not adjusted correctly resulting in a bite issue, plus, I bet the fillings were bulk filled and that results in sensitivity.
The same goes for the back filling.
I would suggest a second opinion prior to getting any more dentistry done!

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hello Dr.Hahn,

Val from India here. I’ve read your article about pain after composite fillings. I had a composite filling done on the last molars (upper and lower) around 3-4 weeks ago and my teeth are still sensitive while eating hard foods such as bread-crust. The dentist who did the procedure had about 1-2 years of experience.

There were still some cavities left in the lower molar and the dentist said she was not going deeper because it would then go for a root canal. The filling on the lower molar was very deep but the dentist did it in one go, applying a fluoride base and then the composite on top of it; she treated it with UV light around 2-3 times.

A few nights ago, I noticed a dull pain in these teeth after brushing at night.

The dentist and her senior (an MDS) say that it will reduce with time. I am worried about this and also about the quality of their work as this dentist burnt the corner of my mouth, twice, while she was doing a root canal on my other tooth.

Could you please advise?

Dear Val,

First, a dull ache usually means the root of the tooth is dying, especially if it happens at night.
Second, I don’t believe in leaving decay behind…stained dentin is fine, but not decayed dentin.
I can’t judge a dentists ability to place a filling, unfortunately, but I can tell you that your symptoms point towards the need for a root canal treatment. Sorry.

The best way I know how to judge a dentists ability to deliver quality care is to look at what the entire practice stands for.
1. Do they tout the fact they take lots of insurances? (this is the best indicator of poor care in my opinion)
2. Do they spend a lot of time with you treatment planning and consulting with you about a plan to “fix” your mouth? (This is a good indicator that the practice focuses on quality)

It’s sad but true: If want want good dental care in Kentuckiana you need to go out of network so your dentist can put you first, not the insurance company.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

thanks for your reply Dr. Chris! the fillings in my front teeth aren’t large, but I did have pain prior to filling. I saw an endodontist today who said that they are close to the nerve. the endo also did not see the need for root canal at this time and I’m going back in 6 weeks for a checkup. I don’t think the fillings were placed in bulk, although I’m not positive what that means (the dentist would place some filling, cure, repeat). the mouth guard I’m getting is supposed to be hard and the dentist said it will also act as a retainer to keep teeth in place since they have been shifting. I am supposed to be getting electronic copies of my x- rays and would like to share with you as soon as I receive them. any other advice at this time?

thank you
sarah

Looks like you are on the right track Sarah! I will help as best as I can…try this. Put your fingernail edge on the outside of your front tooth, then tap your teeth together. Do this to all front teeth. Can you feel any of your front teeth moving? If they are moving at all then there is a bite issue. Have the bite adjusted!

Talk to you soon,

Dr. Chris

one more thing….the fillings in front do not touch any of my bottom teeth when I bite down…the dentist checked this at a followup appointment.

Five days ago, I had three teeth repaired and white fillings and pins were used. I have had tooth pain, headaches, dizziness, since. Went back to dentist and he explained something white fillings require time to ‘adjust’ and since I had three and pins, I should give it a bit of time before thinking root canal. I am wondering how long it takes for,this adjustment time? Something is definitely not right. Thanks

Dear Katherine,

Your story is repeated over and over again on this blog…sorry.
White fillings work great if used correctly. They are “plastic” and should not be used for repairing extensive tooth surfaces. Using “pins – which I have never used” tells me that the repair of your tooth was extensive. Composite – white filling material, shrinks and if not used correctly will cause pain.
There are so many things that could have gone wrong with your teeth…it should not hurt.
My thoughts:
1. Maybe the tooth was damaged with a pin
2. Maybe the amount of composite is too much and the tooth is failing
3. Maybe a crown/onlay would have been a better choice
4. Maybe the composite filling was not bonded correctly (I see this a lot with dentists still using pins. Pins were used for amalgam and those dentists using them with composite are probably better with the amalgam)

I would assume that when you return the dentist will want to do a root canal and crown.

Is it an insurance practice?

It never hurts to get a second opinion.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

About 2 weeks ago, I had a filling replaced in my back, right, middle, bottom molar. It was amalgam, but my dentist said he saw a crack in the xray (I just changed dentists – this was my 1st appt with him) and he wanted to replace it with the resin/composite filling to help keep the tooth from needing more extensive work too soon. Things felt fine up until about 5-6 days ago. Suddenly, when I was eating, the tooth started hurting whenever I chewed on the right side. At first, it was just biting down on hard things, but now it hurts to chew on that side even with something soft like gum. I’m going to give them a call today, but was hoping to get some insight on what I should expect to hear from them. Is it likely I’ll have to get the filling replaced? Thanks!

Dear MJ,

Here is the quick answer:
1. You can’t see cracks on x-rays unless they are root fractures, which would mean extraction of the tooth most of the time.
2. Replacing amalgams is, in my opinion, one of the most important things you can do. That being said, if a crack is found under the amalgam, visually, then the tooth needs an onlay or a crown to hold the tooth together and direct the chewing forces vertically.
3. It sounds like you have a fracture. I usually am able to see these after I remove the amalgam and recommend a full coverage restoration for the patient. Now that you have a filling in the tooth and the dentist can’t see below it he/she will need to test for fractures. Did the dentist wear magnification when working on you? This simply is esential these days to see fractures and deliver quality care.

Keep me informed on what they say…

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Two weeks ago I went to a dentist I’d never been to. I had noticed a crack in my back left molar. Sure enough, x-rays confirmed I needed a crown. Got a temporary crown for two weeks. I was unable to chew on that side of my mouth for the 2 weeks of the temp crown because it hurt too much to chew.
Went back to get the permanent crown and he also took x-rays of my entire mouth. He said that my 4 silver/amalgam fillings needed replacing because of decay under the fillings.
Not knowing any better, and because he made it sound urgent, I went ahead and got all 4 replaced. Now, after 10 days, I am unable to eat anything other than broth, mashed potatoes etc. I can slightly chew on one side of my mouth (upper left molar and upper right molars were filled). The upper left allows me to chew on very soft foods, such as baked beans etc. But I cannot even eat baked beans on my right upper molar.
I have extreme sensitivity to hot and cold (never did before!). And now, I am getting spontaneous pain for no reason. Been in bad pain in my upper left for about 3 hours now.
I have used oil of oregano and swished with salt water which helps the pain a little but not much.
The dentist said the teeth could repair themselves, just to wait and see. He said if I started getting spontaneous pain, then something’s wrong and to come in.
I don’t have dental insurance and cannot afford root canals. Plus, I certainly don’t want to go back to him because it seems he told me I needed to do work that really didn’t need doing. He is not a very nice guy, either, just to add to that.
I need help with what to do next!

Dear Nell,

Your story is repeated over and over on this blog and it is for that reason that I have the blog in the first place!
Read the response to MJ in the comments here, the same problem that you have occurred.
When you “saw or noticed” the crack in your tooth, was it a crack next to a silver mercury filling? Was it hurting?
You cannot confirm a crack in the crown via x-ray, it just is not possible and it frustrates me that dentists use the “power of the x-ray” to confirm patients fears.
Silver mercury fillings crack teeth and yes, most of the time an onlay or a crown is the treatment of choice if the tooth is cracked.
Now back to you new “white” fillings. They, should, not, hurt. I know you read this blog post about pain after white fillings, so you know what the problems could be, but most of the are related to quality.
I would quickly seek out a second opinion. I would recommend you find a dentist that is accredited through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry as they have achieved a significantly higher level of skill than the average dentist. You won’t usually need root canals yet, but you will probably need to have the fillings corrected.
I hope this helps.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

After composite filling the pain is continue in my molar teeth which is not decay too much .It was in initial stage . How do I get relief from pain .

Dear Sajid,

Please read the following blog post:

This will give you some answers to what may be going on with your tooth!
I hope this helps.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi,
I had a high filling with a recent composite. It hurt a lot when biting down. I went back 2 weeks later and filling was re-done. It still hurts when I chew. Now I’ve had 2 fillings and no relief. It’s been 4 days since the new filling. Should I wait longer , or get a 2nd opinion ? I really want this to get better.
Thanks

Dear DLynn,

Sorry to hear about your pain…Have you read this article?

I would say it is time to have a quick second opinion. Most dentists don’t mind and won’t try to make you a new patient! Just have them take a look, pay for a quick visit and find out where you stand!

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I decided to go to a new dentist who has been voted “Top Doc” in my state. The initial appointment went smoothly and I really liked the dentist, and he told me I’d have to come back because I had two cavities, which I already suspected. I went back this past Monday and the dentist drilled them, but then he got up and said that the hygienist would “fix me up”. I’ve been to three different dentists, but this was the first time that the hygienist actually filled the cavity. It’s now Saturday, and I’m having severe pain in my tooth and along my jaw. They were white fillings-is it common for a Pennsylvania hygienist to fill a cavity themselves without supervision?

Dear Tooth Ache,

I am not familiar with the regulations in your State, but it may be possible that the hygienist was a dental assistant as well. In many States the doctor prepares the tooth and the assistant places the filling.

“Top Doc”….well, without going into too much detail, there are many publications that pretty much “sell” this title. If the recognition comes from a publication that you know, such as a newspaper, then it may be valid, but if it is a national company then I would take it with a bunch of grains of salt if you know what I mean.

I would contact the top doc and simply give him the opportunity to fix the problem 🙂 Then, ask him about the hygienist placing the filling, I would like to know as a dentist that my patients had a concern.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hi,

I had three composite fillings put in three weeks ago and am still experiencing varying degrees of sensitivity. I have sensitive teeth to begin with (and have been using Sensodyne successfully for years) but this is beyond what I’ve experienced before, especially as it’s been 3 weeks.
The fillings are on three subsequent teeth – two molars and the wisdom tooth – on the bottom right side. One filling replaced one that fell off a while ago; it’s superficial only to protect where my gum line had receded. The second filling went in to fix a crack in my tooth that my dentist feared could eventually become worse. And the last, in my wisdom tooth, was due to a cavity (although I wasn’t feeling any pain associated with the cavity, I let my dentist fill it as he was numbing that part of my mouth anyway).
I have observed that the sensitivity flares up mainly after eating or drinking (cold items), potentially sweets, and sometimes even breathing in the cold air outside. The sensitivity can last up to a few hours, then goes away.
I’d just like your opinion on whether you feel this nagging sensitivity will subside, or if it warrants another visit to my dentist (or another dentist).
Thank you for your thoughts.
Kat

Dear Kat,

Sensitivity after white fillings comes from many reasons…you read the correct blog post, so I won’t elaborate too much on this. 3 weeks is a long time and warrants a second look.
Lingering sensitivity is worse and could lead to a tooth dying…
I would have the dentist, or another dentist, take a second look. If he can’t remedy the problem then I would get a second opinion soon.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had a white filling on a bottom molar due to a cavity. The molar next to it has a crown, which has been there for over 5 years. For background, I have not had any pain or sensitivity in any of my teeth since my root canal and crown placement. Two days after the filling, the crowned tooth began to constantly throb. I called the dentist and they had me back in to adjust my bite. The bite feels more natural now, but the crowned tooth still throbs constantly. Could it be that my root canal has failed or could it be that the crowned tooth has become extremely sensitive and sore due to the drilling so near to it? How long should I wait before contacting my dentist again? If the root canal has failed, wouldn’t I have already felt discomfort?

Thank You

Ryan,

It is unlikely that the molar with the crown that was placed 5 years ago and has a root canal is causing the problem. All changes were made on the tooth next to it, and, for a tooth to “throb” it either is dying/dead or fractured. A crowned tooth is hard to fracture, so I am leaning towards the tooth you just had work done on. Did the dentist take an x-ray? That would be step 1. This needs to be done asap!

Let me know what happens after that.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,
Thank you so much for this blog post, I only wish I had found it sooner. I had a composite filling placed in a molar back in October and initially it hurt, but not too bad. I noticed slight pain when flossing and sometimes when eating. The dentist said to wait and I waited and then when it didn’t go away she replaced the filling about 6 weeks after the initial filling. I started to have a different pain in the tooth only when eating hard foods and when I would hit a certain part of the tooth. The dentist referred me to a endodontist. The endodontist did the cold test and took an xray and determined that I didn’t need a root canal and it was just some reversible pain. At that time I noticed that if I scratch the top surface of the tooth where the filling is I can feel a weird sensation. The pain still hasn’t gone away and in the last week or so it has gotten different. Now I have a slight feeling or awareness of the tooth on and off, but it isn’t very painful, but very annoying. I still also feel sensitivity when i eat certain foods. I want to get a second opinion, but am afraid if i wait i will be in really bad pain. I assume I need a root canal, but am not sure. Would it make sense to have the filling replaced again?

Thank you.

Dear Maya,

Great question! So, I would bet the filling is pretty large and that there is a “fracture” in the tooth. This is something you need loupes to usually see, so I would ask you, does your dentist use magnification?
Your tooth does not “yet” need a root canal treatment, but it will soon if this continues. It is more difficult to evaluate the tooth for a fracture after the filling has been placed, but, I urge you to have it checked, preferably by a dentist that uses strong magnification of 3-5x. ALso, a biting test can help diagnose a fracture/crack.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Just to add to my comment from yesterday, the endodontist said the filling is large, but not too deep that he would be worried about it. I only have a weird sensation when I touch part of the filling, but not when I touch the tooth itself.

My No. 18 tooth had a mercury filling a long time ago. I didn’t feel pain or notice anything unusual. However, my new dentist recently said that it had a cavity and it needed a new filling. Two weeks ago he redid the tooth filling with white color. I don’t feel pain when I chew, sleep. I feel pain a little bit 3.5/10 when I drink cold water and the water travel to that area. My questions are

– Should this pain go away after a certain period of time?
– This is my first time I have a white filling. I don’t know this pain is caused by the white filling or something else?
– Should I schedule a new appointment with my dentist to take care of this? Now or after 2 or 3 months to see if the pain will slowly disappear?

Thank you for your feedback.
–

Dear Terry,

Pain after a white filling can be caused by many things, in your case I feel it is a bonding issue. The filling probably is not very large or the tooth may not have any fractures in it, otherwise you may also have pain when you bite on it.
Sensitivity to cold usually goes away after a while due to the fact that the tooth adds a protective layer of tooth structure below the filling. If the pain gets worse or changes I would go back to the dentist.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris,

Thank you for this blog. I went to the a new dentist 6 weeks ago and he told me that I had two cavities in my bottom left molars. Otherwise, my teeth and gums are really healthy. So I went back and had them filled with white fillings. The day after the filling, I had a really deep ache in one of the two filled teeth. It would come and go but I couldn’t eat on that side of my mouth at all. I also had random aching in other healthy teeth (particularly in my front teeth).

After a week, I went back to the dentist and had the bite adjusted. Then I started having migraine headaches and a feeling of tightness in my healthy teeth (it feels like there is a build up of pressure on the inside of my teeth like they are getting ready to explore). Back I went, another bite adjustment. I also saw an endodontist, who did x-rays, a cold test and bite test. She was not concerned and said that I was experiencing sensitivity and that it would go away in time. From the x-ray, she commented that the filling was not actually that deep (my dentist later said that there were spots on the filling that were deep, but that the nerve was never exposed). To help with the pain, my dentist gave me a prescription for 800 mg anti-inflammatories and told me to come back in 3 weeks.

The first week was hell (I was alternating Tylenol and Midol like it was going out of style). The second week I actually saw a marked improvement. No aching, no tightness. I took painkillers only occasionally. I started testing my left side to see if I could bite on it. Then the third week, I sort of declined. Back to tingling, sometimes aching, tightness (and now my upper lip feels tingly at times). Those awful sensations usually move across my mouth and, at their worst, I feel tingling or aching in my upper palate and upper right side of my mouth). I am able to sleep through the night though (and I wear a hard, custom-fitted night guard).

I’m not sure how to explain this. Could I have done something that caused this regression or re-aggravation of my tooth nerves? My dentist said he could replace the fillings with temporary sedative fillings to help calm the nerves or we could wait another few weeks to see if it improves. I’m not sure what to do. I’m concerned that more drilling with further aggravate my nerves but I don’t want to be sitting on my hands if something really should be done. What do you think?

Many thanks …

Dear Lisa,

You have a unique situation. Your dentist actually came up with the right answer, or at least what I would do. It sounds like you have some sort of “allergy” almost to the material.
The bite is fine, after all the adjustments.
You wear a nightguard, a hard one, and since you have been wearing it for a while (right?) that is not a problem. It was certainly adjusted to fit the new fillings right?
The endodontist confirmed the tooth is vital.
And you said they were on the smaller side…

There may be some chemical allergy you have…Maybe there is uncured adhesive or composite near the inside of the tooth?
Regardless, the next step is the same. Take out the fillings and place a sedative filling – I would recommend Fuji IX, a glass ionomer.

Let me know what happens.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr chris could you advise me have autoimmune disease had a mercury filling taking out and totally lost it as I assume it leaked. The dentist in question put 4white composites in now it feels like my teeth have gone like cement and it feels like they are hitting of the top teeth continually.H he built one of the other tooth up now the bit is so uncomfortable have been suicidal over this and no one can explain why this has happened. Still have a gold and mercury filling in. Have not been able to work since this shoddy dentistry work was done. Could you please advise. Have also had gastric problems and could taste the chemicals of all the materials in my tooth. Could you please e,mail me with yr advise. I’m at my wits end.

Dear Una,

I am sorry to hear about your troubles.
There are many things that could be causing your problems, so I will give you a simple approach to address many of them.
First, I believe in addressing the “cause” of issues first, but it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint the cause in your case. For this reason we need to approach this from several angles.
First, it sounds like your new fillings are “high”, or “too tall”. The “bite”, or how your teeth come together, is critical and can cause everything from sensitivity to tooth death. This needs to be corrected until your teeth come together comfortably.
Second, I can’t get into great detail with regards to allergies or toxicity – this nations dental organizations still try to attack anyone that speaks up against mercury. This will change soon, but until then, simply consider your immune system “insulted” and treat it by building it up. There is a lot of good information on how to do this through this group: http://www.iaomt.org
I would begin with eliminating anything that is unhealthy such as soda and then adding immune building blocks such as high doses of Vitamin C. There is just too much information out there for me to go into too much detail. Nutrition is the key, and sometimes we need to begin with a cleanse and restart proper digestion.

Anyhow, first adjust the new fillings. Leave the old ones alone for now. Let me know if this helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris
I had some teeth filled (#’s 12, 13, and 15)at the end of February and now here in April I find that one of them #13 perhaps has become sensitive to cold. It’s a very mild pain and as soon as the tooth gets warm again the pain ceases. There is no pain from chewing or gritting/grinding. Today has been better then the past few days with it not being as sensitive to the cold. Would waiting out the problem and perhaps getting some toothpaste for sensitive teeth be alright? They were filled with white composite fillings. I trust my dentist as he has been very good and I hear lots of good things from other patients of his.

Robin

Dear Robin,

Sometimes even the perfect filling is a bit sensitive. You mentioned that the “bite” feels right and that is very important. Also, you have several other fillings placed that feel fine. This means that possibly the tooth in question needs further review – is it functioning correctly (excursive contacts?)? Is there maybe some decalcification next to the filling that was left to be more conservative? Is there a fracture that you may not be able to see?
There are many things a dentists evaluates and since you have a good relation with your dentists I suggest you talk to him/her about this and hopefully it is a minor issue. Sensitivity often resolves itself over several weeks as well, assuming the underlying cause is not one of the things I mentioned.
Sensitive toothpaste “plugs pores” in teeth so it may work for some issues but not all.

Hope this helps.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Look up TEGDMA and BIGSMA. These are just two of the highly toxic compounds found in composite resin fillings. Amalgam which is usually used leaks mercury into your body as well. I am still looking for an alternative to these fillings. Nothing is offered!

Dear Matt,

I would urge you to visit IAOMT.org – The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, for a more in depth discussion on your options. Amalgam, in my opinion, is not even an option, so I won’t discuss it here. When it comes to the products you mentioned, most materials at a certain concentration are toxic, including water. It is a matter of concentration. The safety levels need to be high, and according to research I have seen at the IAOMT meetings all our “white fillings” fall within a very large safety margin of any of the compounds that we are worried about (including BPA).
You have to choose your material from the list below, OR, simply not get decay, which is what my practice focuses on (and yes, decay is 100% preventable):
Gold
Porcelain
Amalgam
Composite
Glass Ionomer

If none of the above filling materials work for you then you are left with letting the tooth decay and then pulling it, which I feel is worse than restoring it with any of the materials other than amalgam.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,

Please advise. I went for my annual check up to a new dentist on April 2, 2013–recently moved. Never had problem with my teeth. However, he noticed that tooth 15 felling was cracked and he supposedly repaired it. I did not have any pain before but three weeks later, I have pain. I called the office and they stated that he didn’t make a mistake and referred me to a specialist. They blamed it on my age, 40. I don’t have a problem with hot or cold, but if I try to chew it hurts on contact. I am meeting with an endodontist later this week as I don’t trust this new dentist. I was under the care of my previous dentist for 7 years and never had a problem. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. What do you think is causing the pain?

Dear Joe,

Why are you meeting with an endodontist?
IF a tooth is truly cracked then it is separating and will require a restoration that holds the tooth together (a crown or onlay). Any other restoration will continue to wedge the tooth apart and the fracture will continue.
Secondly, if it hurts when you bite on it, especially when you release the bite, then the crack is most likely the problem. If it hurts when you bite down the the filling probably is too big and needs to be adjusted.
If you let the filling stay “high” then yes, you will either crack the tooth or kill the tooth, both cases are bad. This is not the time to see an endodontist! A good general dentist needs to solve this asap. Adjust the filling and decide if you need a full coverage restoration asap.

Keep Smiling,
Dr. Chris

I had my cavities filled almost 7 weeks ago and it is hard for me to eat or drink anything that is hot or cold because it hurts my teeth so bad. I did have the white fillings done. Should I contact my dentist or wait and see if the sensitivity will go away?

Dear Karrie,

7 weeks is quite a long time to have this much sensitivity! Are these the first white fillings you had placed with the current dentist? If yes, this would concern me, especially if you had fillings in the past somewhere else that did not hurt afterwards.
White fillings should not hurt after being placed, but a little sensitivity for a little while can occur.
I would talk to you dentist or get a second opinion.

Keep Smiling,
Dr. Chris

I am hoping you can help me with a second opinion because I don’t where else to ask! I went to a new dentist 2 weeks ago. It is so hard to find anyone who accepts my insurance and I finally found one that is much closer. When I went to my previous dentist 6 months ago, he said everything looked good but he only ever went by what the X-rays said and never actually looked in my mouth. The new dentist said I had 3 cavities on the right side of my mouth. One upper molar and two bottom molars. I went to get them done and it was a bad experience from the start. When she injected the novocaine, it went up to my nose making it feel like I couldn’t breathe out of my right nostril and up to my right eye making me see blurry and double! She filled them all with white composites and it took about an hour. Ever since, I have had a constant horrible throbbing toothache radiating to my ear. I think it is coming from one of the bottom teeth. But if any food or drink touches any of the three filled teeth, I get a horrible shooting aching pain in them also. Its been two weeks of pain so I finally went back. She said the only one that is a little deep is one on the bottom and it may need a root canal. She put some sort of bonding material with medicine? on all three and said give it another week and if none of them are better she wants to try silver fillings on all three and the bottom one will need a root canal if silver doesn’t work. She said I didn’t have any other composites so it could be an allergy but I swore years ago I requested composites for some cavities in my other molars. I didn’t have any pain in any of my teeth before any of this. What would you recommend? I am really scared to go back and have anything else done now.

Dear Heather,

Your story makes me sad and mad! While I am not a huge fan of insurance dictating the choice of dental offices (for too many reasons to mention, dental insurance is a benefit not insurance and usually ties the dentists hands), so I would first and formost recommend finding a good dentist regardless of which insurance they take! The cost is not that much different and you would likely not run into the problem you did.
Anyhow, now that you have this issue…here are some points to ponder:
1. Throbbing means deep, direct pain. This could be from the filling being completely open or into the pulp. Regardless, there his no magical “lotion” you can put on the teeth and see if it gets better. Ridiculous! Sorry for being so candid, but it makes no sense to me. If 6 months ago you had no radiographic decay then it is highly unlikely that now you have a cavity that is so deep that you need a root canal!
2. Silver Mercury: I am not an amalgam fan! Stay away from that filling at all costs. Any dentist should be able to place a good white filling that is at least as good as amalgam without any of the major issues associated with amalgam.

simple answer: Get a second opinion from a good dentist asap. Good meaning a dentist that spends time with you, probably is not “in-network” and can focus on patient care, not the insurance game.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I had my first white fillings done a week ago. This was also my first time at this dentist. I didn’t have any issues that night or the next day, but since then my teeth ache. Today has been especially bad. Hot and cold sometimes set it off, sometimes just chewing will do it and other times they just ache for no reason. The pain is dull and achy and also sharp and throbbing. I feel the ache into other teeth as well. tonight the pain was a stabbing pain and my teeth throbbed. What could be wrong?

Dear Stacy,

I am sorry your first experience with the dentist ended up like this. Let me ask a few questions…First, was the cavity very deep? It sounds like it may have been. Aching pain usually refers to the “pulp” or root part of the tooth being injured. this ache can extend to different teeth as well.
You certainly need to return to your dentist who should take an x-ray plus adjust the bite (the height of the filling). There are many reasons why your tooth could be in trouble, but all will require you to see your dentist as soon as possible…
With regards to the white fillins aspect, it really sounds more like a depth or size of the filling issue…in my opinion, after a certain size a white filling is not ideal and we would prefer to look at porcelain or gold options…
Anyhow, go see your dentist and let me know what you end up doing.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Thank you Dr. Chris. I went to my dentist today. I did have a deep filling in one of my teeth and that’s the one causing pain. He did find something wrong in between the teeth and fixed that, he’s hoping that does the trick. If it continues to get worse then I need a root canal. So for now it’s a waiting game. Thank you for your response. 🙂

I’m sorry to keep burdening you with all of these questions. I wrote to you the other day about how much pain I was having for weeks after a new dentist placed three composite fillings in my molars. I am very tight on money and really have no way to afford a good dentist outside of network and have bad credit too! Today, I finally gave in and went to a clinic for a second opinion. He was in such a rush and barely listened to my concerns. They took more X-rays and didn’t say if things looked good or not but he did replace all three fillings with calcium hydroxide and glass isomer?? He said this filling material should help with the aching and sensitivity to hot and cold. if its no better in 4 to 6 weeks!, then I will need a root canal but for which tooth?! it is all three teeth that are hurting so how the heck do you tell which is the problematic tooth? Even with the novocaine, I could still feel the pain. It is a deep aching radiating to my ear making that ache too. He prescribed Clindomycin incase there is an infection. He wouldn’t give me pain meds so I am trying go sparingly on what the other dentist prescribed but it’s not easy because I am in constant pain! I’m sure it’s hard for you to give an opinion just by going what I am telling you, but do you think these new type of fillings will help and save me from getting root canals? I’m getting so stressed out with all of this and don’t know where to turn for help. I really appreciate you taking the time to listen and answer me. Wish you could be my dentist! Thanks so much. 🙂

Dear Heather,

The filling your dentist now placed is a good filling – these type are a bit sedative and should help, but, the pain you describe indicated that one of the teeth already has a root problem…sorry. Pain radiating to the ear is a pretty clear sign with aching that there is a dead or dying tooth.
The dentist is smart. He gave you a sedative filling and then an antibiotic which will make the infection feel better…for a while. It does not cure the infection, rather it postpones the need to treat it as you won’t have as much pain. Dentists in this insurance environment are asked to do 20 things at once for almost no pay (believe it or not, insurance does not pay quite what the procedure needs to cost for a dentist to deliver good care), which of course affects the quality they can provide! It is sad…all dentists want to help and deliver good care, but the business model of a dental practice does not allow for “time” if insurance is the boss. This is a huge pet peeve of mine because I see this daily in my practice. Think about it this way…to run a dental practice, pay all the staff, insurance we need to carry, loans we have, materials we need to buy, etc. costs about $200-400 per HOUR, and that is without paying the dentist. Everyone thinks dentists make a killing, but think about that for a while… If a filling costs $150 then how much time can the dentist spend on it before he/she looses money on it? Very very little time. Insurance cuts the cost to even less…it is for this reason most good dentists charge more! They simply have to!
Excuse the rant, but this is the reality of the dental world and the cost of dentistry is directly related to the quality someone receives not because of greed but because of the darn insurance game and cost.
So, to get back to you 🙂 Your tooth will feel better for a while, maybe 2 weeks or so, then you need to see your dentist who will take an x-ray to look for a lesion around the teeth. If he find one great, that means he has identified the bad tooth and a root canal treatment will be needed. If he can’t find anything then the hunt for the problem needs to continue…and it never is easy to find the exact problem if so much dentistry was done. I really hope your dentist finds it and is able to fix it soon!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had three composite and/or glass fillings done 6 days ago (one in each upper side, and one lower right). I am in incredible pain– not so much from the filled teeth, they feel fine, but from my lower left side where I didn’t have any fillings put in. The tooth that is excruciating is nearly opposite the upper filled tooth. It is a constant, sharp and aching pain. It hurts to chew anything and to bite down, but it’s even more painful when I release the bite.

I can’t see anything wrong with it. My gums aren’t tender. My bite does feel funny, though mostly on the opposite side (both new fillings meet) , and especially when I’m lying down. Could the filling above the painful tooth be causing this, or the funny bite on the opposite side? The pain is too much to handle.

Dear Shari,

This is a unique problem…tough to diagnose over the internet. The pain you are describing is consistant with what we call “cracked tooth syndrome”. It is plausible that the lower tooth is cracked, possibly due to the top filling being slightly too big, but in that case you would most likely feel the bite being not correct.
I would see your dentist soon… a cracked tooth can break in half pretty quickly…

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi,

my wife just went 2 weeks ago to get a simply filling done. The dentist had told her she had a small cavity. She did not have pain whatsoever coming from that tooth. After few days she started to experience pain when biting down. Went to see again the dentist immediately and a collegue of the regular dentist told her gum was sensitive and to do washing with salt. Pain came back few days later again when biting. Again when to see her regular doctor and was told the filling was too high. Dentist lowered the filling and told her that should take care of the problem (that was last wednesday 15 may). Now is Sunday and again when she bites down she feels the pain on that same tooth. I am so disappointed because we both had previously got all dental work done in mexico (several fillings, bridges, crowns) and never had any problem). Now that I have Humana Insurance I told my wife to get done any work with a dentist here in san Antonio. The one she had before did a crown that turned out to have compromised the nerve (dentist told us it can happen in 3% of the cases and…obviously my wife’s tooth happened to be within that 3%). She was very skeptical after that experience to have any work done again by an American dentist. Again she was willing to try. The current dentist did a crown (so far work appears to be good and no pain) but it also did the filling and then when the pain started. From what I gather it appears the dentist made the mistake from the beginning with a too high filling (something that he admitted him himself by lowering it on Wednesday). However as the pain has coming back now I start to think: how is it possible, with the amount of money dentists charge, that in this case this dentist was not more careful with his work? Why not trying to do it right the very first time! I would appreciate if you could provide us some possible explanation about this sudden pain after the filling (x rays where done before the filling and after it, when my wife first returned to the office accusing pain, and in both cases she were told there were no infections nor cracking in that tooth that had the new filling).

Thanks,
Massimo

Dear Massino,

There are good and bad dentists everywhere…even in the USA.
It sounds like your wife has a fracture in the tooth. This could have been from a large area of decay or a previous silver mercury filling. An x-ray is really not a good way to look for fractures until it is too late.
How big was the filling?
Size does matter with fillings…
The bite should have been adjust correctly, but when someone is numb it is difficult and sometimes impossible to get the bite perfect.
Have the dentist check for a crack – bite test.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Thank you, Dr. Chris.

Yesterday the pain intensified and was shooting throughout my lower and upper jaw on that side, from the farthest back to my front teeth. Then this morning I woke up and all that pain has now moved into mostly one area– my partially erupted wisdom tooth on the bottom. It looks and feels swollen. I am so confused. Could a high filling have caused that? Or a cracked tooth?

I am hoping to see my dentist today, but I wanted to ask how normal is it for tooth/nerve pain to move around like that?

Dear Shari,

Seeing your dentist is a great idea! A partially erupted wisdom tooth can also cause a lot of pain due to the tissue that still overlaps it – this can get infected. So, a physical check of your teeth and the wisdom tooth would be important.
But yes, pain from teeth can radiate around…
Hope you get this resolved soon!

Dr. Chris

Hi there! I am hoping you can help my husband and I, as we are both at a loss of what to do…A few weeks ago, we both went to the dentist for the first time in a while. My husband hadn’t been in 3 years, myself in 12 (I know, horrible). We had never been to this dentist before, but she had great reviews online. Anyway, she told me I needed 5 fillings, as well as a deep cleaning. Understood after 12 years of not going. As for my husband, he was a little bit concerned when they told him he had 10 cavities, and he has only had one in his entire life. Nonetheless, we both received our deep cleanings and fillings. A day or two after my husband’s first set of fillings, he was experiencing a lot of pain & sensitivity in the teeth he had filled, so the dentist sent him to an endodontist to see if he needed root canals. The endo said out of the three teeth he checked only one seemed like it might possibly end up needing a root canal, but even that one wasn’t very bad. They told him to wait and see if they got better. Meanwhile, my husband went and got the other half of his mouth filled a few days later. It has been three weeks today since my husband got his first set of fillings, and he still cannot chew anything. He is in an immense amount of pain, and it is all on the teeth that he got filled. He has been back in several times to make sure his bite is not off and they have filed a little but overall say that everything looks good. As for me, in all of the molars that I got filled, I have a sharp, shocking pain when I chew on hard foods. I don’t really have hot or cold sensitivity very strongly, and no pain unless I am chewing hard foods. If I touch the center of the surface of those teeth with my fingernail I feel the same very sharp pain. She said all of my fillings werent very deep. It has been two weeks for me since I got my first set of fillings. Is it a coincidence that we both are having pain in these teeth that we got filled? Is it just that they need more time to heal before we can eat normally again? As of this morning we stopped using a whitening toothpaste because we thought maybe that was inhibiting the healing from the fillings. Thank you for any answers you can give!! We greatly appreciate it!

Dear Tammi,

No, it is not normal to have the pain you described!!! There are several reasons for what you are experiencing, all which will require you to go get a second opinion and have the fillings redone asap!

It sounds like the fillings were “bulk filled” which can result in polymerization shrinkage that damages the tooth. Also, poor bonding techniques have similar results. The fact that both of you are experiencing this problem is a clear sign that it is the filling.
Go see a good dentist – I would recommend you go to http://www.aacd.com and find the closest “accredited” cosmetic dentist and see him/her tomorrow!
It is not just that these accredited cosmetic dentists are good cosmetic dentists, but that their elite level of experience ensures that you are getting the best ranging from a small white filling to a complete smile makeover.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,

My husband and I are both very grateful for you taking the time to answer our questions. Although, I must admit I was hoping for a different answer :(. We just spent hundreds of dollars and used up all of our insurance allowance for the year to do these fillings and if we have to get them all redone it’s going to be extremely expensive. If we get a second opinion and it is agreed that all 15 fillings were done incorrectly, do you think we have any recourse of getting that money back?

On another note, can you please explain a little more what you mean by “bulk filled?” Are we going to have to get root canals and/or crowns on all of these teeth now or will they be able to just re-do the fillings? I will definitely check out the link you provided to hopefully find an accredited cosmetic dentist in our area. Thank you again!!

Dear Tammi,

“bulk fill” means the composite/white filling material was placed in one, large step. This can cause problems because the material does shrink when polymerized with the blue light. This shrinkage can pull the tooth walls together “bending” the tooth and causing pain, or it can pull the bond away from the tooth walls allowing leakage around the filling. Both bad scenarios. For this reason it is critical to “build” the filling correctly in small increments.
Secondly, placing white fillings requires good technique and an understanding of how the bonding process works. All too often I see poorly bonded white fillings…with all the issues you and your husband both are having I am not “convinced” that your dentist is placing white fillings perfectly. For that reason I am hesitant to send you back for redoing something with the same person that possible did not do it right the first time.
If you seek a second opinion and the fillings are obviously placed wrong (a new dentist could take one out and see if it was even bonded in the tooth), then you could ask your old dentist for some help to redo them. I would simply pick the worst one and have it fixed to see if it works – there is always the chance that it is not the dentists fault 🙂
Lastly, it never hurts to discuss these issues with your current dentist. Most of us are human and are here to help you.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hello,

I have had several white fillings done by the same dentist and about 8 months ago I had a bottom molar done and not long after, I noticed that occasionally I get a sharp shooting pain briefly. Im not sensitive to hot or cold and it doesnt hurt every time i chew. Ive had it do it when eating a soft cheese puff or something harder like bacon. We did the bite test and the outside part of the top of my tooth is worn and not at the same level as the inside points..the blue marks showed that im only chewing on the outter part. Because the filling is a decnt size he doesnt want to file anything because the tooth will become weaker. The other day when I had it happen..i was eating something softer and it felt like i was chewing on something hard like my filling but now Im wondering if its a crack. He looked today and took xrays but nothing.

Dear Sarah,

Pain as you mention it is difficult to diagnose. In my opinion it probably is a large filling and the tooth is flexing causing pain – it may even have a small crack. An x-ray usually does not show anything with a crack that is just starting…
My rule of thumb: If the filling is greater than 1/3 the distance between the two cusp tips then it is not ideal for a plastic filling. I would consider an onlay made out of porcelain or gold.
I hope this help.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

If it was a small crack, how would I figure that out and what should I do?

I usually check for this when I am placing the filling. Personally I wear high magnification loupes (4.5x) and a strong light. This I feel is essential in today’s world and I cannot imagine doing dentistry without strong magnification.
With this type of magnification I can see fractures.
So, in your case, since the filling is already placed we have two choices. First, look very very closely at the sides of the filling where the teeth touch – this is where usually the fractures begin. If I would see a fracture then I would recommend cuspal coverage (a restoration like a crown or onlay that goes over the cusps of the tooth to hold it together). Secondly, we could remove the filling and check for fractures.
About 2 weeks ago I had one of my long time patients come to me with the same symptoms. It was a virgin tooth and from his history (he broke a tooth in half a year earlier that had to be removed and an implant placed), I knew the small fracture that I saw was dangerous, so I recommended a crown asap. Well, he was not able to come in for treatment for a few days and when he came in for his crown the tooth had actually separated into 2 pieces and we had to remove them and place an implant…

So, make sure your dentist uses high magnification!!! I hope this helps.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Would it be possible to actually lose the tooth from removing the filling and it being fractured?

Well, if the tooth is fractured and symptomatic then it will break soon anyhow. But, the risk of fracturing the tooth while removing a filling is not very large.

Dr. Dr Chris,
I had a filling on the upper right side done, and two amalgam fillings replaced with composite fillings on the upper left done. The new fillings are extremely painful to the point where my whole jaw has throbbing pain that keeps me up at night. The bite seems to be just fine, but I’m not sure whether to go back and see my dentist or to wait a week and see of it gets better. Right now I have to take pain meds all day just to be able to eat. The teeth never hurt before this.
Thanks.

Dear Chrissy,

You should not have such pain after any type of filling, so I do recommend you see your dentist asap and have them locate the cause!

Sincerely,
Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris,

I took my daughter to the dentist last week (she’s 15) and she had the last three molars in the upper left side filled. The front two were white and the back one was silver. Apparently the back cavity was fairly deep. She complained of pain during drilling multiple times and received four needles in total. She complained that the numbing agent was making the skin on her face burn but the dentist disregarded her complaints. Finally, she just sucked it up and had tears running down her face while the dentist did the work on her teeth.

She was uncomfortable for the rest of the day, but when the numbing wore off she was in extreme agony. She was convinced (and still is) that the pain was coming from the front two molars and not the rear one. I took her to emergency at the hospital and the doctor looked at her mouth and suggested that there might be a problem with a root or a nerve. He gave her percocets for the pain.

The next day I called the dentist office and they immediately wanted to refer my daughter to an oral surgeon to have the rear tooth removed. They prescribed amoxicillan for an abscess, even though my daughter said it wasn’t that kind of pain. They then made an appointment for a week later with no followup in between and never taking a look at the tooth.

I’ve been looking things up and, having had an abscess myself in the past, I believe my daughter when she says it’s not an abscess. She took only one of the antibiotics and the tooth pain has gotten better, but hasn’t stopped completely.

I’m guessing that I should make her an appointment with another dentist. Is there anything I should do to further advocate for my daughter?

Dear Stacey,

First and foremost, a dentist needs to take care of their patients. I am disappointed to hear that your dentist simply referred your daughter out without looking at the problem in more detail. So, you do need a more “caring and sympathetic” dentist!
Now, regardless of what procedure your daughter had, it should not have hurt during the procedure! Over my career I have had 2 patients that I could just not get numb…but those are very rare.
Since the antibiotic took care of the pain it most likely is a root canal problem, or possibly an abscess. Antibiotics only make the pain better if it is a dying root. If the pain was from an irritated roots such as you would get from a poorly bonded filling, then the antibiotics would do nothing.
I would recommend a second opinion and try to save the tooth if possible – it probably will need a root canal treatment from what I can determine.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hello,
I went to the dentist this morning for a white filling. Before he did anything he took an x-ray of my teeth, then he did the injection and cleaned my teeth while he waited. Once he started doing the filling (on my upper right 6 molar) he saw i had another cavity on the inside of the same tooth so he did both as white fillings. He told me to wait two hours before I ate anything which i did, and everything felt fine. But as soon as i started chewing on that tooth, I got sudden sharp pain from the pressure (yet it does not hurt if I bite just my teeth together, only when I chew food) and have chewed my food on the other side since. I have also found if I suck that tooth so that it is being pulled gently down, I also get slight pain from that.

He asked how the bite felt but my mouth being numb, I couldn’t really tell. It doesn’t feel high though, and as I said it does not hurt when clenching my teeth together.

I don’t know if I’m being overly worried too quickly but I have had many fillings before including white ones and don’t remember this much sensitivity after them.

Dear Laura,

There are many things that could be causing your pain, all of which require your dentist to look at the tooth again.
If the filling was too big then it could be that the tooth is flexing. The bond of the filling could also be bad. You do not need to live with this discomfort, and often the dentist can’t adjust the bite perfectly when you are numb, so you need to go back to check that as well!

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi
I got a white filling done last Saturday ,it was to replace an old filling that chipped on my top right hand side inciser. After the anaesthetic wore off I was in a lot of pain, but it felt like all of the top molars were sore aswell as the tooth with the filling. I took an over the counter painkiller to see if that would help but it didn’t,so I tried to sleep it off but the pain was so bad I couldn’t sleep and at this stage all dentists were closed. So today the pain was beyond severe so I took another two painkillers that contain coadine 30mg and they worked for about an hour. The pain got so bad I went to the emergency room and was given Tylex so I took two and I still have a lot of pain but not as severe. I really want to know what the pain could be as I had no pain before the filling was put in !
Thank’s

Dear Sarah,

There are just too many variables to give you a definitive answer, but, I highly suggest you have your dentist look at this asap. You should not have this type of pain after a filling…

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dear Sarah,

I am sorry you have such pain after your filling…it is certainly not normal. You need to go back to your dentist for a second look! There are just too many variables for me to give you a good answer…sorry.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I changed dentists after 6 years, honestly because due to a recent job loss we qualified for medicaid and my orginial dentist didnt take it. I have had a good amount of dental work done before over the years a few crowns and 3 root canals and large molar fillings. I was happy to get such a blessing as i had broken a tooth i could fix and had some smaller cavities i knew needed to be fixed.

First round didnt go well because I couldnt get numb on tooth – or as i think now perhaps it was next to the cracked tooth and maybe i wasnt recognizing the pain as coming from the tooth next ot it. who knows but after 2 hours we gave up packed the tooth with a sedative filing some antibotics etc… and i came back 13 days later

I tried to go through a less expensive alternative and try to avoid 2 root canals and also just pulling the teeth so we worked on a diff side that day since nobody could get me pricing (that was out of pocket) i was in horrid pain after the novacine wore off. The numbing was beautiful and precise but when it wore off i was in terrible pain. I felt like my teeth shifted or i had b races i had some shooting pain which scared me cause all i could think was 2 grand for a RC and crown. Overtime its gotten better but not perfect.

Next i had 3 large fillings on lower right over the course of 2.4 hours I believe all of these had white fillings in before they took out and replaced.. I have the same issue Id kill for some type of pain medicine now cause tylnol aint cutting it. Im doing salt water washes and ice. But again i feel odd pain the right seems a bit high on the bite and with both when i eat (i avoiding eating on each side til about 2 days after) i feel odd like im just mooshing stuff. I notice on the opposite bottom and top teeth that werent refillied food is staying recessed in them.

I feel worried because im set to take out 3 silver feeling on the top and fix one more on the 4th side. There things that make me uncomfortable like just peeking a tooth saying oh yeh that needs a root canal (i been through enough hot cold nerve test to know thats not how its done) , the fact the doo roott canals and regular dentistry is a bit odd, there price is much lower than the others ive paid, and the fact when filling the tooth we kep pinching my lip in the styrpinge and i have a big blister freak me out.
.
I miss my old dentist so much. Im not a hater of these new people just worried if things are going ok or its the fact i have such large fillings that im more prone to issues here. I am glad nothings broken and not needing crowns that i can afford but no pint to any of this if this pain would continue .

Dear Worried,

If you have read some of my replies here on this blog then you know what I am going to say…the “last” paragraph in your comment gave it away…the dentistry is much less expensive than before…
So, in dentistry you really get what you pay for. Cheaper is usually a big warning sign.
Some may say I am being too critical towards dentists (trust me, I get letters from dentists complaining about me pretty much telling it the way it really is), but I really am not. Dentistry is a business and just like every other business there are different levels (Fast Food is not good for you but it is cheap and fast, vs a healthy more expensive restaurant – you can relate I am sure). Some dentists pour their heart and soul into being a patient advocate – those are the dentists I respect and stand up for. They usually are not the cheapest dentists because it is impossible to be cheap and good.
So, that being said, I understand you were in pain and needed a dentist to help you. You were happy with your previous dentist but wanted a less expensive option, so you found a new dentist that was cheaper. Look what happened….First, all this dentistry is being done, which certainly may be necessary, but “why” did you need all this dentistry? Did you new dentist find the cause and address it with you, or is the dentist just filling and filling and filling….
Secondly, why would your new dentist keep working on your mouth if you still have issues with the last job he/she did? Finish what you did first, make sure it works, and move on! You are in pain, the filings are rough, you needed root canals and crowns, you can’t chew anymore because the anatomy of the fillings is off, and you want to go back for more? That is just silly.
All this poorly doen dentistry will have to be redone soon probably or you will be in worse discomfort, more root canals, more crowns, or more likely more lost teeth and more breakdown of your mouth. It is the dreaded Dental Cycle I see every day. And all this because the new dentist was a bit “cheaper”….makes me sad.
Find a good dentist. “Invest” in your health!!!! FIX your mouth and be happy. People buy big cars, expensive clothes, daily lates at Starbucks, you name it, but when it comes to actually fixing their mouth and health it needs to be “cheap” and insurance needs to pay for everything or they won’t do it (or call the dentist too expensive and a rip off). If patients went to a good dentist, took their advice to get “fixed – such a no more soda”, and made payments towards quality dentistry they would pay less than a Starbucks Late a day in payments for a while and have a healthy, functioning smile.
Wow, what a long rant, sorry, but this scenario plays out alllllll the time! I can’t tell you how often I fix bad dentistry because it was cheaper or the underlying cause was not addressed.
I hope this helps.
To summarize: Find a good dentist and invest in your mouth before it is too late.
Dr. Chris

I went to get my teeth cleaned today and the lady drilled out my filling behind my front tooth the doctor refilled it but now it hurts and it usaully never did before or when I first got it done . What do I do?

Hi Dr. Chris,

I am looking for some insight. I have a unique situation that I feel like I am running in circles with and want to know what you think. About 3 months ago I got a filling done with a new white filling. My first ones for white fillings. When I got it done the dentist told me right off the bat that it was bigger then he expected so it would be more sensitive then normal. Well it was sensitive but wasn’t too bad. I could bare it. Well, in may I had to travel for work via airplane. Went on 4 airplane rides. Two were little jumper planes to the bigger airports and then of course 2 were bigger airplanes the ones that reach 30-40 thousand feet. Well, the smaller planes were fine however, the bigger planes I got the worst shot of pain through my teeth ever! It happened about 10 minutes into the flights about the point wherer you reach 30,000ft or when the stewerdess hand out drinks. The pain was not contastant but happen about every minute or so and lasted about 30 minutes. When I landed it was fine. And went back to the way my teeth were. So, when I got home I called the dentist immediately, told him everything that happen. He took deeper xrays and saw nothing was wrong. So he just redid the filling thinking there was a airpocket or something inside the filling. Well another 2 weeks go by and I have to go on a plane again for my honeymoon. Only went on two planes this time however they were the bigger airplanes so againw as at higher elevation then the littler planes. Pain happen again. Same time, same lenght of time etc… Of course when I got home I immediately called the dentist and toldhim to recommend me to a endodontic, which he did. So I go there, he takes more xrays, doesn’t see anything said roots look ok, he did a bunch of bite tests, cold tests, no pain. Instead he says my tooth looks like it is a little high, so he drills in the filling some, and puts some sort of stuff on my tooth that he said should keep the filling sealed. Ok. I say, and he said I should follow up in a few weeks after scuba diving (which is where I am now worried about pain) and see how it is. Well, every since he looked at my tooth, I noticed it getting more and more sentistive to hot and cold drinks and food. Even sensing throbbing when I am not eating or drinking, but it goes away after a few moments or minutes. Today it is almost hard to drink anything cold or hot. Even when brushing my teeth I have to use luke warm water cause it sends a throbbing feeling on my teeth. I am scared/ worried. I have my scuba class this weekend and fear the cold water and pressure might causing sharp pain to go through my teeth. I called the Endodontics specialist and told them the last 3 weeks and they are going to be calling me back. Have you heard of this before? Especially on a plane? Seems like because of this I have grown to fear airplanes cause of the pain it caused as well as worried now about scubadiving. I read an article at http://www.dental-health-advice.com/pulpitis.html on my symptoms and wonder if there really is a nerve damaged now and it was just building up over time. Any help would be appreciated for I have done what I felt I was supposed to do based off what you said on here. I told them from the start of all this I think I need a root canal but just dont understand why I have to go through all this. Please help!

Hello Jess,

I hope you have solved the problem…just saw your comment! sorry for the late reply…Anyhow, regardless of what happened before, your current symptoms of aching and throbbing are clear indicators for the need of a root canal treatment due to irreversible pulpitis…but, how did you get there? Your story is a unique one. The pain you felt at a certain altitude comes from expansion of air, as you guessed, so we need to see where there could be air pockets in your tooth. First, of course, we think of the filling.. That could be one area. Secondly, the tubules in the dentin that lead to the inside of the tooth – if they expand but can’t due to the filling being in the way I suppose this could cause pain…So, I don’t have a clear answer for you, sorry, but I will put more thought into this as you have raised a good question that I like to answer!
For now, your pulp is on its way out so get it treated and you should be ok!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris

Hello,
I received a composite filling between tooth 18 and 19 molars. This was about 4 weeks ago. When I got home and the numbness wore off I noticed I had a sharp pain on my 2nd molar (tooth 18) only when I chew on it. Tooth 19 was fine. 2 days later I got the tooth adjusted and it still hurt. About a week later I recieved another adjustment. Then the doctor told me to wait two weeks and come back. Now it’s two weeks later and I still can not chew on that tooth. I go in tomorrow. Neither cavities were that deep. What could be the cause ?
Thanks

Hello Matt,

Did you replace fillings (amalgam) in those teeth? Tooth #18 is very far back and subject to strong forces. Often this tooth will develop fractures/cracks, especially if the function/bite is off. It does not take much to fracture a tooth, surprisingly.
Your pain upon biting and releasing does indicate that there is a probable fracture. A fracture can not be treated with a “filling” as anything that goes inside the tooth will still wedge the fracture apart and eventually lead to traumatic failure of the tooth. Have your dentist test for a fracture, check the bite and go from there. If there is a fracture then you will need an onlay or a crown to hold the tooth together…

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I had 5 silver fillings replaced with white composite ones. The upper left molar hurt when she was drilling it more than the others and was the only one that stung wehen she put in the composite.Its been two weeks and whenever i eat onions or anything cold it hurts for about 30 minutes. Its a regular tooth pain that is very painful.
its been exactly 2 weeks since the procedure was done and it is better but I wouldve thought the pain would be over for good by now. I had absolutely no pain before and the fillings were 30 years old. I dont want my tooth to get infected and cause problems any thoughts? She was very cheap and replaced all 5 for under $700.00.

Good morning Tony,

Sometimes (often) silver mercury fillings crack teeth and when the fillings are removed the crack stays. Placing a filling inside a tooth that is cracked only wedges that crack further apart.
If you were completely numb then you would not have felt the tooth, no matter what was done to it! So, the anesthetic must have been wearing off or not quite deep enough.
Now, since it still is hurting, I would recommend you have your dentist look at the tooth and see if it needs more treatment – hopefully not a root canal. The sooner you get this looked at the less likely you will need a root canal treatment.
Cost is mostly an issue with restorative dentistry that involves a lab. When it comes to white fillings it is a matter of skill. Even the best dentist has issues such as the one you mentioned. If all the other fillings feel good then it probably was a tooth issue, not so much a dentist issue…
Hope this helps!

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

My teeth hurt i had 6 fillings done on monday I’m stil in pain it hurts when i eat

Hello Kristin,

I know very little about you situation, but a little sensitivity for a few days (3 for you so far) is not un-commen. Now, real “pain” is not normal and you should talk to your dentist as there may be a problem, such as a bite that is not adjusted correctly or a fracture.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I am quite concerned with the white resin composite that has been used to fill my teeth. Or rather the dental care I have received. I haven’t had a tooth filled since right after my adult teeth came in when I was a child. I had braces as a teenager because of this I learned to take very good care of my teeth. Six years ago I started some new medications that caused dry mouth. In June I went to the dentist for a cleaning only to discover I had 11 cavities and one of my old filling needed to be replaced. Four of the teeth had cavities close to the pulp. At that visit he filled 12, 13 and 14. In less than a week I was having an emergency root canal because I woke up with a migraine and the entire left side of my face in excruciating pain. Due to having little coverage I could not afford a permanent crown and fillings in the teeth that needed them right away he only place a temporary crown until the beginning of the year. He then filled the last 2 teeth that had cavities close to the pulp 2 and 15. The first week my whole mouth was sore and painful. Now I wake in the morning with no pain but, sometimes aching. By the time bedtime comes around my whole mouth is sore and teeth 3, 4 and 5 the pain is so bad ibuprofen or naproxen doesn’t touch the pain. I’m using my migraine medication for the pain so I can sleep at night. It doesn’t make sense since to me that tooth 3, 4 and 5 are hurting so much. What should I do? I’m out of insurance. I’m not sure if I should trust this dentist’s office. He doesn’t actually put the fillings in, his assistant does. That bothered me a little considering the last time I had a cavity filled as a child the dentist did it.

Dear Tina,

It sounds like your problem is not so much the dentistry placed by the dentist/assistant, but the fact that the cavities were so large. Dry mouth is a very dangerous condition and allows decay to spread much quicker. When fillings are that deep then there is a decent chance that the pulp is affected and even the best filling won’t do.
“Aching” usually is associated with a dying pulp and you will need to have the teeth tested for the need for another root canal. Taking pain medications all the time won’t work very well and is terribly unhealthy.
I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

In June I was diagnosed with dry mouth and 11 cavities. Four of those teeth had cavities close to the pulp. The dentist removed the cavities in 12,13 and 14. His assistant did the fillings with white composite ( this office only uses white composite). In less than a week I woke up one morning with a migraine and the entire left side of my face in excruciating pain. I had to have an emergency root canal on 13. A couple weeks ago I had 2 and 15 filled in the same office. In the morning I wake with no pain as the day goes on my teeth and gums become sore and swollen. By the time bedtime comes around teeth 3, 4 and 5 are in so much pain ibuprofen or naproxen don’t touch the pain. I have to take my pain med and muscle relaxer for my migraines to ease my pain and help my mouth relax. First I was not very happy when his dental assistant did my fillings. It’s been almost 20 years since I’ve had a cavity filled and the dentist did it. Second this dentist seems to always be in a hurry. However when he drilled 2 and 15 he took his time and tried to be careful so I wouldn’t have to have the teeth extracted. Third I don’t understand why 3, 4 and 5 are hurting when they weren’t touched. The pain is at the gum line, I can tell because when I floss at bedtime that is where I’m experiencing most pain. Should I keep going back to this dentist?

Dear Tina,

Once again, I think you need to focus on why the cavities are there…dry mouth, acid environment, etc. Sounds like the dentist is trying to help you, but with so many cavities the mouth you need to change something to make the environment for the teeth more basic. Take a look at your diet, soda, preserved foods, etc. Check your pH during the day, drink lots of water and brush/floss more than usual.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I had 7 fillings done right around May 4-6. One was a very large one on my very last upper left tooth, as a huge chunk of it had chipped off. They repaired that one with amalgam and it feels great. Two cavities (wish I knew the tooth number but it’s two and three back from the canine tooth — a cavity in between those two teeth on each side) that had been hurting me for a long time with sugars. I kept complaining to my dentist, but she said there was nothing there. This prompted me to find a new dentist. The rest of the cavities were very small (actually all of them were small, nothing went anywhere NEAR going past the dentin). Sometimes, when she drilled, I could feel it and it hurt — she ended up using up to the legal limit of lidocaine, but I could still feel it. I thought this was strange, but it’s not like I could feel it a lot. I COULD feel the lidocaine numbing me, so it wasn’t that it wasn’t being put in the right spot, I don’t think.

Anyway, it’s now August 18, and I still have occasional pain, almost exclusively in the teeth that I could also feel her drilling. Is it normal for me to have pain this long? It’s not unbearable (in fact, I wouldn’t even describe it as “bad”) — the two on the top respond painfully to cold (but not hot) and sometimes pressure, and the bottom one responds to pressure.

Aside from that one amalgam way in the back, they’re all composite, but I’ve had composites before with no problem, so I’m hesitant to say that I’m allergic to something in them. The dentist was very kind and very thorough (it seemed, at least), and so I’m wondering if I’m just having a longer recovery time than most. I definitely wouldn’t say that the pain (if you could call it that, more like discomfort) is stopping me from doing/eating/drinking anything. But I don’t want to just assume things will get better. But compared to the pain I had pre-filling on the top, things are hugely better.

What do you think? Am I just taking a bit longer to recover?

Dear Carrie,

Having post-operative sensitivity is not uncommen and should consistently get better. IF it is not getting better then something is not right. I am not a fan of amalgams, as you I am sure know from reading this blog, so I will skip the amalgam filling he placed as I don’t believe in them. For the composites, a little cold sensitivity is ok, but pressure worries me. IF they are pressure sensitive then I could be cracked. Furthermore, with all the lidocaine you had, I would suggest going back to have the bite checked as it probably needs to be adjusted. Have your dentist follow the fillings and make sure they slowly get better. If the pain/sensitivity persists then it could also be a bonding error – bonding correctly is super important! In that case the fillings would need to be redone.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Thank you for your response Chris. I apologize, I didn’t think my first comment posted. We already know my dry mouth is caused by medication. PreviDent Dry Mouth nor Clinpro 5000 are helping my dry mouth and Biotene doesn’t seem to help either. The dentist ordered 3M ESPE Theramints for me but, they are a little strong for me and they irritate my throat. Any recommendations to help my dry mouth? I’m using Sensodyn in the am, PreviDent as needed during the day and Clinpro at night. I have several teeth without cavities that are sensitive to hot, cold and air movement due to lack of enamel from previously brushing with hard bristled toothbrushes. Since I have been using the Sensodyn only once a day and I’ve added the other toothpastes the sensitivity has returned. Again, any recommendations?

I got 1 filling done today on one of my top teeth, in the back. They only cleaned the rest of my teeth, but weirdly all of my back teeth are now sort of sensitive, it hurts to chew food, or bite down. Why is this?

Dear Ana,

Sometimes after cleaning the teeth, especially at the root surface, a bit of sensitivity can occur. This should subside in a few days. Make sure you allow the teeth to remineralize – avoid acid such as soda. You can also use a sensitive type of toothpaste for a week or two! The reason the teeth are sensitive is that the pores at the gumline are now open and a connection to the inside of the tooth is possible. It gets more complicated, so if you want to know more, let me know!

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hello,

I had 15 cavities filled a few weeks ago with composite fillings. My cavities were a result of dry mouth caused by a medication and is no longer an issue. My question is if it is possible to keep my teeth for a long time or for life considering the fact that fillings dont last forever and require more tooth structure damage each time they are filled? I am 30 years old. Thank you.

Hello Christina,

I am glad you solved the dry mouth issues, that is critical. Now, if you have quality restorations and excellent home care then there really is no reason why you should not be able to keep your teeth, even if you need to replace the fillings. Watch your pH and seek quality care!
Keep smiling,
Dr Chris

I had just got 3 cavities filled with composite filling and for some reason my gums on the very back hurt really bad and I saw them bleeding today what do you think I should do I am having a hard time opeing my mouth all the way because it hurts and also chewing on my left side because it hurts also it is very sensitive to cold water for some reason please what should I do?

My daughter had fillings on top and bottom of one side Friday. She had no pain or sensitivity before, but cannot eat or drink anything cold now. These were composite fillings and were supposedly small cavities.

Should I take her back or go to someone else or wait a while? It is not fun seeing your child not able to enjoy her food! Thank you for your advice. Oh, the dentist drilled the holes, but a girl (she said she was a certfied dental assistant) did the actual fillings. She said she is allowed to do this. Maybe you have heard of this. It was news to me.

Dear Kathy,

I am sorry your daughter is having trouble with the fillings…Let me ask some questions:
Does she feel that her teeth are coming together normally? Or does it feel like she is biting on a grain of sand?
In many States dental assistants can place fillings, including Kentucky. Properly trained, a dental assistant can place beautiful fillings, but, they are very technique sensitive. Now, you should talk to your dentist about this soon so that he/she can take a look and also be aware of the problem. Often it resolves pretty quickly, but if not then it may be a bonding problem. Without knowing what materials were used I cannot comment on that process.
I hope this helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Over a month ago I had 5 surface fillings done. The doctor said they are so tiny hou can barely tell on an xray.. Anyways I am having extremely painful sensitivity in just one tooth (18 or 19). It can be room temperature water and it gives me horrible pain. I have to take tiny sips to function these days. I went back to the dentist who adjusted my bite but that did nothing. It doesnt hurt when Im chewing anymore. The filling feels like its te size of the entire top of my tooth. When i drink liquids it feels like its going into my tooth with a strong shooting pain tho… Any ideas? Why is it so senstivite if its just a surface filling?!?

Sorry for the late reply….

It sounds like your filling is leaking for sure. Bad bond or not cured enough. I would recommend redoing the filling.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I had a composite filling in #18 that replaced a sedative filling. Extra numbing medication had to be injected between the tooth and gum because I could immediately feel the drilling at first. It’s been a few hours, the lidocaine has worn off and I am in HORRIBLE pain! My tooth was sore before but now it is throbbing and it hurts to open my mouth. My dentist doesn’t re-open until the morning, clove oil and oragel aren’t helping. Why is it hurting so bad now when it didn’t before??
Thanks so much,
Brooke

Sorry for the late reply Brooke, I was actually out of town…

Now, I hope your tooth is feeling better. There are so many things that could be wrong with the tooth that I hate to guess. I certainly hope you called your dentists emergency number as this is something I would consider an emergency…let me know what he/she did!

Sincerely,

Christian

I did call. It’s been 5 days and it’s still hurting. They basically told me that if it’s still hurting I might need a root canal and called in 2 days of vicodin. If I needed a root canal then why did I spend $600 to remove the sedative filling and put in composite?! I’m in a lot of pain, with sensitivity to hot and cold. Should I just see another dentist or ask them to take another look? As you can guess I am pretty upset.

Thanks for your advice, Dr. Chris. I asked my daughter your questions and no, her teeth did not come together normally and yes, she actually said it felt like a rock rather than grain of sand. (8 year old description) I contacted the dental office and when I told them she was having trouble, they were quite rude and did not want to see her. So, I asked around and found a different dentist – called and told the office we weren’t patients of their office, but could they see my daughter. They worked her in that day! The dentist checked her bite and needed to work on the fillings to allow her to bite properly. Once that was done, my daughter said it felt better and she hasn’t had problems since.
I really appreciate your advice – that allowed me to know what to ask my daughter and then find a dentist to help.
Have a blessed day!

I had a filling done upper left middle. Don’t remember if it was replacing an old filling or just adding a new one and don’t know if it was composite or silver since I can’t see it and the dentist didn’t say. I had no pain before the filling but have had a dull toothache in it on and off since. No sensitivity to anything specific just a toothache that comes and goes throughout the day hurting more often than not.

I was given the usual wait and see spiel but I never have pain after procedures, even root canals, so pain to me indicates that something is wrong (and every time I’ve had pain I was proven right). So I went back in and he looked at the filling and said it looked fine maybe the pain is my gums since some of my teeth bleed a bit when I floss though not on that side where this tooth is.

I went on antibiotics just in case and no change and I also paid special attention to my gums and making sure I flossed and rinsed well and no change. I went back in again weeks later and this time, he took an x-ray and said he doesn’t see any problem with the root, no decay under the filling, and nothing wrong with the filling itself and offered me no possible explanations.

It’s been a few months since getting it in and still hurts. I plan on finding another dentist for a second opinion but it’s tough since we don’t have many in the area. What kind of problems could this be?

Hello Kimmy,

This sounds like a tricky one… Reading the first half of your comment made me think it was a root problem – that is what a dull ache usually is. Since it has been a few months and it still “aches” I suggest you have a root canal specialist look at it. If the tooth was cracked you would have pain upon chewing, and if the filling was leaking you would have cold sensitivity (or sweet). So, I feel it is a root issue.
A x-ray would be really helpful here…send me one and I will be able to be more help 🙂

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had a filling done about two weeks ago. I’ve had it looked at and they said the bite was off and adjusted it. Now a week later it still hurts and is very sensitive. I go in today because they said my tooth didn’t take to the white filling and it has to be redone. Is this common?

Dear Danielle,

The tooth didn’t take to the white filling? Interesting way of saying we have to redo the filling because we didn’t do a good job the first time. Sorry to be so blunt, but I prefer when docs tell you the way it is. It is not our tooth’s fault. Sometimes I have to redo my work as well – we are human after all. No big deal, as long as you always try to do your best. So, is it common? No, the tooth does not take to anything. Redoing it is probably the right thing, just make sure the dentist does it himself/herself this time and takes the time to do it right – ideally use a rubber dam for isolation in the mouth.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dear Danielle,

You can shape and polish porcelain most of the time, as long as there is enough porcelain to work with. If the bridge is new I would ask that they redo it and work of an approved set of temporaries that you will wear. If it is old, then a little shaping might give you a better look, but there is a chance of fracturing the porcelain. So, I feel esthetics is really important for your self esteem and success in life, so I would adjust it with the understanding that if it broke we would make a new, beautiful bridge.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had my teeth cleaned and my dentist wanted to replace a front filling and also the second tooth from my eye tooth. On the front he completely replaced it. The tooth second from the eye tooth he cleaned it up a bit and put a new filling over it, he did not go drilling for a cavity etc. I noticed the needles hurt pretty bad this time and my gum in the area is still a bit red, but I have some swelling around the tooth and bothers me enough to notice but not unbearable. It was a week ago 10/9/13 since my procedure. Will this subside eventually? Thank you for your time.

Hello Pam,

I had a bit of a challenge figuring out what exactly was done for you, so I will try to summarize: You had 2 cosmetic white fillings placed on your front teeth. In one filling you felt the dentist drilled more than in the other. You also had anesthesia that hurt a but and now you are sore…a week after the procedure.
If this is the case then you need to decide if the soreness is “aching”, in which case you need to go see your dentist for a possible root problem. If the tissue is simply red then it could be tissue irritation from the materials we use for the white fillings, or a reaction such as a virus. Both of those should subside over 2 weeks. If the filling touches the tissue and is not smooth you may also have a red, irritated area there, in which case you need to see your dentist again.

I hope this helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr.Chris

I think maybe it is an issue with all the work that was done on the two teeth. Or maybe the heavy handed work my doctor did, it was uncomfortable at times I felt like my teeth and even my head were being pulled off, so the common sense in me says the inflammation and tenderness is to be expected. It gave me a bit of a scare since I was diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum in 2011. I am rinsing with warm salt water which helps and I will wait a couple weeks and hopefully it will pass. Thank you so much for the information I appreciate it 🙂

Hello,

I had an MOD composite placed on #13 a week ago by a dentist and, though there was no pain after having it placed, the distal part of the filling was bulky and my floss would catch on it when flossing. A different dentist filed down the filling for me on the distal, and now there is a little bit of pain in that area. Do you think it is now leaking after being filed down? It is Friday and, of course, most dental offices are closed. Do you think it would be okay to wait until next Wednesday when I am off work to have it looked at? I am scared if I wait too long it will need to be crowned since it is already an MOD. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am also curious which filling material you would recommend for larger posterior fillings, as you have stated that you aren’t a fan of amalgams and composites are good for “small fillings”.

Thank you so much in advance!

Dear Kristin,

You most likely are just fine to wait to have the white filling checked next wednesday.
With regards to the type of filling material to use, here is my philosophy:

I generally do very few MOD composites, unless they are very small (width less than 1/3 the distance between the two cusps). Also, if the mesial or distal box extends below the tissue I feel a cemented restoration would work better. So, what do I recommend? IF you want the best and ignore cost and color, gold always wins. Always. It is flexible, fits perfect and lasts the longest. If you want white, you then need to go with porcelain or indirect composite, both good choices with limitations. In my mouth it would be (is) gold.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I just wanted to specify that the pain is not severe, it is tolerable, but it is constant and not necessarily related to biting, cold, hot, etc.

Got it Kristin. If the discomfort extends into “aching” then it becomes more of an emergency. Filling down a filling should not have this effect. Maybe the tissue was slightly cut when adjusting the filling?

I’ve had a toothache that comes and goes (mandibular left first molar). It isn’t sensitive to hot or cold but sometimes when I bite. It has an amalgam filling that I’ve had done years ago and hurts the most at the end of the day, like a throbbing pain. I’ve recently went to the dentist in June for a cleaning/xrays and it didn’t seem to be an issue until now. Any ideas on what might be going on?

Dear Rachel,

Dental pain is a strange beast. Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine the exact cause of the pain. Here is what I would look at:
First, silver mercury fillings do expand and contract 2-3 times more than tooth structure, slowly killing your tooth (lets see how many dentist write me telling me silver mercury fillings are just fine…). So, this expansion and contraction fractures the tooth. Often a early fracture acts similar to what you are describing. Now, “aching” or “soreness” is most often associated with dental root problems. So, if it was my mouth I would have the silver mercury filling removed “correctly” and the tooth then checked for fractures – not by the traditional biting test, but by using high powered loupes (every dentist should have these these days). Then I would place a layered white filling core (layered properly to minimize shrinkage) and if fractures were present I would prepare the tooth for a full coverage restoration (crown or onlay).
Then, during the temporary phase I would see how the tooth responds. There is a chance the root is dying and a root canal treatment will be necessary, but I think this is a low chance. If the tooth feels significantly better in 2-3 weeks I would proceed with the final restoration!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Id be very interested to get your opinion.. I have recently had a composite filling and where there was no pain before, suddenly I was very sensitive to heat changes. The most annoying bit being that even if i smiled and inhaled air, i would sometimes expereince pain.
I went back to my dentisit to get it checked out after a few weeks and he said there was nothing wrong with the filling but explained that the composite filling conducts heat better, and as it wasnt a tiny filling it would affect me more. (Im not really sure how big it is or anything). He used his neice as an example and said she had to get the filling replaced with another material and was fine after that. He also said that over time the pain could go away but it might not.
Up untill recently the pain has only been when i eat/drink something with a big difference in temp, but the last few days it has been constant and the pain is more in my jaw, accomapnied by a painful headache on the side my filling is. Paracetamol/Ibruprofen havent really made a difference and this is starting to have negative effects on my life as I cant concentrate on work, am pretty misereable to hang out with and cant sleep.
Do I need to take his advice and get it replaced (i really want to keep the white!) or could there be another problem? toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth can sometimes help but the most annoying pain is more like aching in my jaw. He also said staying away from acidic drinks/foods would help but i feel like ive lost track of what triggers the pain as its not what I would call sensitivity as its not a sharp pain.
Would just be interested in another opinion!
Thanks

Dear Sara,

Interesting comment:”The white filling transmits temperature more…”. This, in my experience, is actually not true.
White fillings, especially larger ones, are a great barrier to hot and cold!
The only way you receive sensitivity is from the edges of the white filling where the bond is. Bonded properly this edge is sealed. Unfortunately bonding a white filling is much more technique sensitive and it is easy to make a small mistake that results in a sensitive filling. Replacing the filling with a “silver mercury” filling is silly in my opinion (the only thing that is good about a silver mercury filling is that you can have a machine mix it and use your thumb to place it and it will work – it is simple to place, that is where the benefits end).
So, my recommendation is that you need to find a dentist that believes in composite restorations and is very technique oriented. There are just too many issues with a poorly placed white filling – see some posts about this and many blog posts as well.

You can find a dentist that shows interest in learning about composites and esthetics by searching http://www.aacd.com for a dentist near you. Ideally search for a accredited cosmetic dentist if you want someone with the most experience in the field.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hello Dr chris

Im a 4th year dental student

I want to ask you if there is an article or book about clinical cases and their treatment just like This page about! but in more advanced info!

Thank you so much for ur Reply

Dear Roudy,

The absolute best way to learn, short of doing it yourself, is seeing case studies. I am glad you are on top of this! When you attend dental conferences you will find that the visual case studies are the most exciting part of any lecture.
Now, I have actually not recently looked for these type of books, but they exist! I would look online, probably on the Quintessence site first.
You are on the right track!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hi,

I had an old silver filling replaced by a white filling the other day. The dentist stated that the silver had been a small filling for the most part
At first I could not even brush/touch my tooth as it hurt so much. I had to chew on the other side. I went back and he said that there was a little exposed part of the tooth so he added to it. After that the constant and severe pain subsided ( where I could not even brush before) it. Its been 2 weeks but am still unable to bite down on the filling. Even with very soft foods hurt. He had me come and checked the bite several times with the paper. He said she saw no more marks and the filling should feel better. But its still hurting to bite down on, even soft foods. My bite feels even and does not feel as if that tooth is too tall. He asked if its sensitive to cold which it is not.

He suggested trying to redo the filling and if that doesnt work it may need a root canal. Any thoughts?

Dear Sally,

Sounds like a cuspal flexure issue to me, meaning, the filling is pulling the tooth together causing pain. I would have it redone and built up in stages minimizing shrinkage. To test this the dentist could make a cut into the filling from mesial to distal, about 1.5mm deep and let you try it (chew on it a few days). If it feels better then I was right 🙂

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

After I dismall failure from a dentist I found a new dentist. I had a couple questions. I came to find out while they had me on nitroux for 3 hours at a time from the course of may until august I had 20 (2 were root canals) fillings replaced and filled. I knew I was done wrong but this just threw me I had no idea it was so much I thought maybe 10 or so. They took out existing fillings and now the new dentists says i have cavities under the new ones. Can this even happen so quickly or did they just pop out old fillings and pop a new one on. And they try to tell me they have no such thing as “treatment records” or are in other words unwilling to forward the actual dr notes. Isnt this illegal not to forwad your medical records . Am i not correct in thinking this is mallicious? Is it even safe to be on nitroux for 3 hour time spans? I just can not believe Ive run into something like this in America. I had a wonderful dentist for 6 years and only switched because we recieved medicaid this year and and now i feel like they just did what they wanted to make money from the state without any care for the suffering I go through now.

Dear Stephanie,

It is hard to comment when I don’t have all the details. I can tell you that all your records are “yours” to take. Unfortunately the truth is that a dentist working on Medicaid cannot provide top quality care and earn enough money to buy bread and milk for his family. You get what you pay for in this world….and it only is getting worse.
See a dentist that has the time to evaluate you in detail and come up with a plan to prevent the continuous need for dentistry before it is too late.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I forgot to add that he did white fillings on the other side of my mouth where there were cavities but no previous silver fillings. There has been no pain on that side. Just the one tooth where the silver filling was replaced. And again the bite feels even. no hot/cold sensitivity. Just pain on biting soft or hard foods. Do you thing the filling shrank like you alluded to in previous posts?

DR.Chris,
I wrote a couple weeks ago about swelling and discomfort after I had a filling replaced in a front tooth and the tooth next to my eye tooth. You said basically give it a couple weeks. I had the work done on October 2, 2013 and on October 22, 2013 after flossing and brushing I checked the area and noticed what I had been seeing a bit of white substance I thought might be pus. Using my nail I picked a bit and got a piece of thick string which was nearly around the entire tooth. The area is not as swollen but it is just a bit tender, though not bad. Why would there have been a thick piece of string wrapped around my tooth? It is much thicker then floss. Thanks for your time.

Pam

Dear Pamela,

That “string” is called a “cord” and is used to isolate the tooth from the tissue when placing a filling. Even the best dentist at times forgets to remove it and that is what happened to you…sorry. Everything should now heal up well 🙂

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had a composite filling placed about 8 weeks ago. I had no pain or sensitivity for the first six weeks following, but about two weeks ago I noticed very sharp sensitivity to hot foods, and sometimes cold. I went back in today. The dentist poked around a bit, did a cold test, but did not take new x-rays. He then suggested I either wait a few more weeks or replace the filling. He also said he was somewhat “stumped” by my symptoms. Should I seek a second opinion? I don’t want a filling re-done if it won’t provide any relief. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Dear Amber,

Sometimes us dentists are “stumped” 🙂 We don’t know it all! In this case I can see why your dentists would be stumped. I also don’t feel another x-ray would be necessary at this point. We usually look for “aching” as a reason to take x-rays and check the root. I am sure your dentist also checked your “bite” and function right? What were the results of the cold test?
If I did not see any obvious issues and your bite and function was good then I too would wait a little longer and see if it gets better. I don’t think a second opinion at this point is really necessary. Give it a few days. If it gets worse, see your dentist again and he/she will redo the filling.

I hope this helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

For 23 years I did not put my feet into a dentists office, no problems, ever.. Decided to have my mercury filling removed 4 weeks ago ! And what a nightmare, I live on pain killers every 4 hours, eating is a pain, sleeping a pain, regret that I ever made this decision .

I emphathize with you, Sandra. Every time I try to do the “right” thing these days, I can ask a billion questions beforehand, and it’s never enough. I have substantial problems in my left lower jaw, but, as it happens, I lost a 50-year old filling – a small one, a few weeks ago. The tooth did not hurt, but I feared it would crack, and I’m already missing 4 teeth – all molars.

So, I went to the dentist, thinking I’d get started with regular visits somehow, but have this filling replaced. I didn’t want mercury. (My mouth looks like a silver mine due to over-exhuberant drilling of teeth with tiny cavities). I asked about the cost difference for the composite, but was never anticipating handing over all but $50 that I have to my name. That might just be the way it is, but…

The tooth hurts. Remember I said it hadn’t hurt. And, the composite seems to have shrunken. And, 4 hours later, my face remains severely numb. (It was a NEW kind of painkiller – arcti – something. Lucky me). I should have done what I had planned and asked for a temporary fillling, but they were hovering around saying oh you don’t want a temporary filling. The composite not only appears shrunken, but the tooth is now rough at the base, which it wasn’t before. I can go back to have this fixed — why the hell couldn’t it be done right the first time for so much money? – I have traded my non-painful tooth for more problems, and added a hole in my pocket that was unbelievable. Happy holidays, eh? I should just have gotten some tooth cement.

Dear Jane,

Very frustrating indeed. Sorry to hear about your bad experience. A white filling was the right answer, but the delivery method and outcome not… we have placed thousands of white fillings with little problems.

Hope your next dental experience is better,

Dr. Chris

This is unrelated, but, with mouth still affected by anesthesia, why was I even given anesthesia for a tooth that had no decay, when the clean-out of the broken filling was nowhere near the nerve? Nothing like sitting here kicking myself, and hungry, for not stopping the procedure. I was given the articane – a first time. They had me rinse my mouth – I was surprised to see a lot of blood. Out the money, in pain… feel idiotic and poorer. Worried now about permanent nerve damage…

Dear Jane,

Articaine, used correctly, is the most safe anesthetic there is (it has been used in Europe for decades now).
Anesthetic is important as cleaning out a tooth can be quite uncomfortable, even if it seems like a small filing.

Hello,

I had two composite fillings placed yesterday, as well as a temporary crown on the last molar both on the upper left. Today, I am experiencing throbbing, sensitive pain. Any thought on this? Is this normal? The filling was deep but there was no active decay under the original filling that was replaced. What is the likelihood of having to get a root canal?!

Dear Courtney,

It is very hard to say how likely it is that you will need a root canal, but I can tell you that it rarely happens. Here is why…
The root of a tooth dies for several reasons, one being a mechanical exposure by the dentist, deep decay, fractures, and several others that are not as likely. Replacing filling, as I am sure you have read in this forum, can result in problem. So it is really tough to say how likely a root canal treatment is. Last week I had a patient like you who had a temporary crown placed by a dentist and the dentist was referring the patient to a endodontist for a root canal treatment since she was having throbbing pain. She sought a second opinion and we redid the temporary crown (it was incredibly bad) and surprise surprise, she feels better.
I am not saying you need a second opinion yet, but you do need to have your dentist look at this, maybe adjust the bite…

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hello. I recently had a white composite filling placed in my bottom right molar. The type used was 3M Fill-Tech Z-250. There was a significant chip from a wisdom tooth extraction. From top to bottom, approximately 20% of the tooth was lost. I had this done 16 days ago. Since getting the filling there has been a terrible, bitter taste in my mouth. It’s constant, whether eating, drinking, or not injesting anything. My mouth is also dry and pasty, and producing saliva is not easy. My whole mouth feels almost as if it’s coated in something, even my lips. The taste is slightly, just slightly, better, but still persists, and the dry pastiness has not improved. During the first 4 days, the taste was so extreme, I had difficulty sleeping, and during the night, in addition to the bitterness, there was also a taste that I can only descibe as extreme halitosis, which has gotten better. I have few questions about what was done during the procedure, and wil give the details, so please bear with me. Nearing the end of the procedure, during the filing down of the filling, I made a comment about the smell of the vapor. The dentist then switched to using water while filing. Should this have been done. The water, I can only assume was accumulating the “vapor” from being filed, which was filling up in my mouth. The assistant was not present with suction at this time. I then choked slightly, and swallowed this nasty water. Prior to the assistant leaving she had dropped the suction device on the floor. Now after I swallowed the water/resin slurry, she returned, and put the suction device back in my mouth. They then did the drying. I expressed my concern that I may have had a suction device in my mouth that was just on the floor, and the dentist went and got some regular “green” flouride mouthwash, and then, a yellow-ish rinse which he said was “a powerful anticeptic”. I couldn’t taste much at this point, as my mouth was still frozen. As the freezing wore off my new, terrible mouth taste began to reveal itself. I ignored it as best I could, but after 8 days, I broke down, and began to panic. A subsequent conversation with my dentist has done little to assuage my concern, much less the persistence of the problems. His best idea is that the “powerful anticeptic”, ( I can’t recall the name), was used too quickly after the filling was set, and somehow bonded with it. He said the anticeptic he used has quite a bitter taste. Again, I couldn’t tell at the time. He wants to remove the filling and try again, with either the same material, or a different composite, but I’m quite skeptical, and frankly, at this point, scared sh**less that these conditions won’t improve and that my life has been ruined. I have to get a gold crown done on the tooth in front of this one too, and more composite must be used on that tooth prior to the crowning. Also a big concern. So, my questions are: Have you heard of these phenomena occurring with composite fillings in general, regardless of the technique used to apply them? Should water have been used during the file-down process? Was swallowing the water/resin slurry harmful? Should mouthwash and this other anticeptic been used so soon, literally a minute after the fillng was set? I’m so sorry for the wall of text, but I’m pretty desperate for help, and wanted to get all the details in.

Dear Jeff,

Let me jump right to answer your questions.
First, I have not heard of such strong reactions as yours before, so I will give you my thoughts and hopefully you can get this resolved.
When we prepare a tooth for a filling we use water 90% of the time to reduce heat. For decades dentists did not use water…mainly because the technology was not there. So, not using water to adjust a few areas is ok as you can see a lot better.
The materials we use are not toxic to “most” people in the quantities we work with. Swallowing a little of “everything” we use in dentistry is pretty much inevitable!
With regards to the dropped suction…it happens, but the assistant should have immediately replaced the tip and cleaned the hose…
The antiseptic mouthwash probably was a chlorhexidine material (peridex or a generic) and it tastes pretty bad. It can leave a coating on your teeth and gums but not for 8 days. I do not believe the mouthwash could “bond” to the filling material.
That being said, you still have a bad taste, so something is going on. Have you had fillings in the past? Are you sensitive to many materials (allergies?)? When was the wisdom tooth extracted? (that is where the taste usually comes from)
So, lots of variables but if the tooth was extracted a long time ago then it may be best if the dentist adjusts the occlusion on the filling so you do not touch the material, and then make sure it is cured all the way and highly polished! If that does not help then a different material (gold) should be used.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

hi i had a filling done about 6 weeks ago, there was no pain afterwards. but about a week ago it started to pain and is sensitive towards hot and cold. It also hurts ALOT when i floss. Is this normal or is there something wrong?

Dear Jane,

I would suggest you see your dentist as it is not normal to have pain after 6 weeks, especially after there was no pain initially.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I went to my dentist about 2 weeks ago to have an extraction of the back upper molar on the right side. My dentist knows that I have absolutely no money right now for a root canal. She looked at 3 other teeth and said they were close to needing root canals. She went ahead and filled the hole in one, and then cleaned out the other 2 on my left side and did core buildups. The 2 teeth she worked on that were not at all painful, are now in extreme pain. I’m afraid to go back and be told that I need the root canals. At first hydrocodone was helping, but now it won’t even touch the pain. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Dear Jill,

It is always sad to hear these stories…While I can’t really comment on the dentistry I can tell you that pain killers are not the answer to dental problems. If you have severe pain you need to go back as soon as you can as it only gets worse in dentistry. Maybe the bite on the filling is high…I cannot speak for how the filling was placed, how deep it was, or if there was some other sort of problem, but, I can recommend you see your dentist asap…

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had 3 teeth filled a month ago. One the first visit and (2) the second visit. My mouth was still hurting when i went back and had the other 2 done the dentist said it was the cavity in the tooth that was about to be filled. After having all this done my mouth hurts severely sometimes and when i drink something cold it hurts awful. They have adjusted the bite 3 times and it still did not work. They sent me to a dentist that checked (2) of the teeth and they told me those did not need a root canal im starting to think its the first one they done that needs the root canal.

Dear Anna,

If the bite is adjusted correctly then there are a few other issues that could be the problem…none easy to resolve unless you redo one of the fillings. I am assuming you had white fillings placed…so, they are very technique sensitive…your mouth should not hurt after placing fillings – at least not for more than a day or two. So, the problem may be the filling technique, which means you may want to seek out a second opinion and have a cosmetic dentist redo one of the 3 fillings to see if it helps.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I just had my silver fillings removed after years of having them in, and it was the worst decision of my life. I wish I would’ve done some research first or read the thousands of post I see now about having this work done and the nightmare afterwards. I feel the hot and cold, the pain with certain crunchy foods. I am so sick of it! I also now wake up with tight jaws. I used to go to the dentist every six months now I am a regular patient. My dentist keeps filing them down stating it maybe to high. However, thats not working. All I wanted was a beautiful smile not this.

Dear Vanessa,
Is is sad to read stories like yours…but remember this, people don’t usually write about their “success” stories online, only their pitfalls. For every unhappy patient there are many more satisfied ones that simply don’t post on the internet.
That being said, replacing old fillings, regardless of what material they are made out of, has to be done correctly. There are so many variables that most good dentists are aware of (such as the maximum size of composite, shrinkage, different bonding options, function, the bite, etc.) that can cause the issues you speak of.
I would suggest you get a second opinion from a dentist that is associated with high quality. How do you find a dentist like this? This is the hard part…the easiest way probably is to go to the AACD website and find a accredited or fellow dentist.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I just had a filing today and they got something on my lip. There was a tingly feeling but then it went away. I’m now home but I noticed that there’s a white blob on my lip. it’s a little hard so I’m guessing it’s from the filling. My question is how do I get rid of it?!

Dear Alex,

Most likely one of the chemicals we use, or possible the curing light that emits heat, caused the white spot. It should go away after a few days. If it still is present in a week I would see the dentist.

Hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

I had 3 teeth filled. In about 6 months ago now 1 of those teeth hurts kind of a little throbing is it normal.

Dear Maximus,

No, throbbing is never good with teeth…I would see the dentist and have them take an x-ray to evaluate the root.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

I went to the dentist last Thursday and I switched from a silver filling to a white filling and I was sore only for two days after then I started getting really bad pain to the point where I can hardly sleep at night? Is this normal what would ou recommend? And are there natural remedies to help with this horrible pain since I’m nursing ?? 🙁

Dear Monique,

Your problem sound like a fracture, a very poor bond or a very deep filling. All require that you have the tooth looked at and x-rayed! You want to avoid a root canal, so don’t delay. To diagnose the problem or cause more efficiently I would need more info 🙂

I hope this helps,

Dr. Chris

Hello Dr Chris,
Two weeks ago I had my old filling of 3 years replaced with a white composite filling on my left bottom molar after I started getting a tooth ache. My dentist mentioned that it was a deep filling and it may be a candidate for root canal in the future.
I had a tight feeling in that tooth and when it did not feel normal I went back to the dentist and said it was a bit high and she fixed it. Just after a day I developed severe pain on my left side as soon as I chewed 2 or 3 bites so I went yesterday and got another high spot fixed and after all the bite tests I felt better. She advised me to continue the pain killer for 2 days and not to chew on that side. Now I have teeth ache even with the pain killer if I accidentally have some food on that side.
How long should I wait before I go back to her again?

Thanks

Dear Sree,

This is a common problem…the bite needs to be perfect, especially when the filling is deep! Anyhow, you need to go back now as the tooth probably will need a root canal filling and a crown, from what I can make out right now. Aching most of the time is a sign of a dying root.

Now, I would only take ibuprofin, not pain killers. The anti-inflammatory aspect of ibuprofin (advil or motrin) is what you need until the dentist can help you.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Had a composite filling on upper left 8 in 2006. Get intermittent pain/thobbing. Went to dentist recently, did cold test, very sensitive, suggested replsce filling, went back 3 wks later saw another dentist who said it wss my bite causing stress. No decay or fractures so why was it so sensitive to cold test???

Hello Ann,

There are several things that could be happening. First, let me explain how the “function” of the mouth works. Over time we wear our teeth down. Bruxism/grinding speeds this process up. Most of the time our teeth don’t wear down evenly and eventually some teeth are hitting more than others. Think of it like a car… tires wear down but often one wear more than another, depending on how you drive. If you don’t rotate the wheels then that tire will fail first.
Teeth are very similar. Your dentist said it was your “bite”, which is probably a big component. Hitting one tooth just a little heavy or in the wrong way will kill that tooth. Also, hitting that tooth heavy can crack it. Either way you will start getting sensitivity to either hot/cold, sweets or chewing.

This is what you do to find out:
1. Take a x-ray
2. Do a bit evaluation (function analysis)
3. Check with loupes for cracks and looks for wear facets

Once you know WHY the tooth is hurting (decay, crack, hitting heavy and bruised, filling leaking, or root dying) then you can fix it! Don’t let a dentist fix something they can’t explain…

I hope this helps,

Dr. Chris

I had 4 filling done in October 2013 on my upper molars on both sides. Before these filings I had no pain. I knew I had cavaties because I could feel it being sticky. I floss and brush twice a day at the minimum. All of my teeth were very sore and sensitive at first. Only my right side has healed. I naturally chew on my left and I cannot do that anymore in fear of pain from the sensitivity. I can no longer drink cold beverages, especially water without a painful shooting pain on my left side where the fillings were done. I am unsure if it is one or both of the teeth. I have tried to be patient and I go to see the dentist next month for my routine cleaning, but is this normal? I am starting to get migraines only on the left side and my ear has been throbbing. (I do not have an ear infection) please help.

Dear Kayla,

In short, it is not normal to have pain for that long after having a filling placed. The first step always is to return to your dentists so they can take a look. Waiting in dentistry only makes problems worse…If he/she cannot fix the problem, write again and we can see what is going on.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

I have now had 3 white fillings in the same tooth over a period of 4 months. Each have appeared ok initially, then after a few weeks itching, throbbing and then acute, constant pain sets in. I can now feel it happening to this third filling. If I have to go back again, should I request no white filling but a return to the silver mercury type? I am very healthy, apart from a thyroid problem which is under control, and am only allergic to penicillin. Could I be allergic to white fillings?

Dear Deb,

This is the first time I heard that someone has this type of reaction from a white filling…it could be an allergy. There are several options out there for you that might help.
First, if you are allergic to something in that filling then it could be the composite or the bonding agent. You could have the dentist place a white glass ionomor filling without the need of adhesive and see if that works. Secondly, you could also have a gold filling placed which to this day is the best and longest lasting restoration available. I would stay away from silver mercury fillings at all cost.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Thanks Dr Chris,
Appreciate your response !! Its almost 3 weeks since I wrote to you. Right now I dontt have any sensitivity to hot or cold or any pain on that teeth, The only problem I have is that I cannot chew/bite hard food on that side. The teeth hurts whes I bite and its severe when I bite some hardfood like nuts :(.
when ever I press on that teeth I can feel the pain . I visited the dentist again and she sees no problem with the bite test.
Can this happen because of the inflammation or Does this indicate any other symptoms?
Just to let you know that I have a silver filling on my top molar and wonder if that hitting a composite filling on the bottom molar can cause this pain?

Please advice
Thanks and regards,
Sree

Hello Sree,

If you have pain upon biting or releasing the the bite then it could be a fracture in the tooth…Usually with a fracture you would have pain when the bite is released…If it also hurts when you bite down then more variables come into play. Noting that your dentist said the bite is fine I will lean towards fracture…the only way to treat this is to have a full cuspal coverage restoration, like a crown. Tough position to be in because you don’t want to wait till the tooth dies or it cracks in half as then you will loose it, but doing a crown is expensive and no guarantee. If it was my tooth I would need to have great confidence in my dentist and his/her diagnosis…that being said, I would prefer to crown the tooth and save it vs needing a root canal treatment that would ultimately fail anyhow due to the fracture.
Let me know what you decide!
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi,
I had a silver filling replaced with a white one 10 days ago (#30) and have had intermittent throbbing pain ever since, and have been taking Advil.
. My dentist took xrays, and said I would need a root canal and a crown. With the percussion test, I felt slight pain, and the xray showed my roots were calcified. He said this was due to heavy grinding. I do wear a mouth guard nightly. I have sensitive teeth anyway and don’t want to get a root canal etc. if it is not necessary. Do I wait a few more days to see if the pain gets better and is just sensitivity or schedule the root canal? Also he mentioned a certain type of crown that is better for grinders. What do you think? Thank you!!

Dear Lee,

Good info about the pain…It sounds like it might be a crack, but hard to tell. Either way you will need a crown. I would get the crown down asap (by a good dentist) so that you minimize the possibility of a fatal fracture. Then, I would keep the crown in a temporary phase until the need for a root canal has been ruled out.
Your dentist is probably referring to a zirconium crown. They are hard to break but require meticulous adjusting or you will damage your teeth! A gold crown still is the best, by far.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had a white composite filling on Saturday and when I bite really hard I get pain in my tooth – any ideas?

Dear Hannah,

First, go back to the dentist and see if the “bite” is perfect.
Second, if that does not solve it contact me again with more details about the pain etc. 🙂

Thanks,

Dr. Chris

hello
i hada white filling done like almost a.month ago n i still have pain n before i didnt my back teeth felt good n now i.can even chew i told my dentist n he said i would need a root canal which i dont want becus my teeth never hearded until they did the filling what should i.do

If you have pain and you don’t agree with what your dentist says then I suggest you get a second opinion. There is always a chance that the filling was deep and large which could have resulted in the tooth dying. Often people don’t feel pain but have large areas of decay…

Dr. Chris

If the doctor has used the filling which has been expired any problem?

While it is not good to use expired material, I would not be worried about that so much, assuming you are talking about a white filling material. The expiration date really is far beyond what the date on the tube says 🙂 The material only gets harder to work with and dries out, at which point it cannot be used any longer.
Dr. Chris

Thank you for your response Dr. Chris. I honestly am in awe of the time you take to help people out with your expertise. I just paid $152 for a quick, fairly unsatisfying consultation. I am posting from a Playstation Vita, not an ideal device, so I will only say thank you again, and say that I have not fully recovered, months later, and am still concerned about the amount of “filling water” I swallowed. It was not an insignificant amount, it was essentially a mouthful of water that was accumulating the material of a large composite filling that was being filed. Just putting that out there again for the sake of absolute clarity. I am certain that proper procedure was not followed ( no assistant, no suction, no dental dam during this event), and although the bitter taste is almost totally gone, my mouth still does not feel right, especially my tongue. Still dryer and pastier than normal, with greater than usual white coating on my tongue. After my intial post, things got worse before they got better. For 2 months, I suffered from a host of symptoms related to dryness. For weeks, I could not produce tears, or saliva properly. I feel in poorer physical health in general, but do feel a better now wih most of the symptoms. I am just worried about the amount of material I swallowed. I fear I may never fully recover. Sorry for another text wall. Cannot edit posts with the Playstation Vita, so I may have repeated myself.

Hi Dr. Chris!

Not sure if you are still reading this forum but worth a try. I had a small cavity on one of my tooth, no pain and decided to be proactiv and go to the dentist. My dentist did a white filling and after that my tooth has never been the same. I have cold and hot sensitivity and sometimes when I bite down on food I get a jolt of sharp pain. I went back to the dentist and he told me that the cavity was too small for him to have hit the nerve and that this is common with white fillings and I should give it a year. It’s been almost year and I’m still in the same boat. I went to a new dentist recently and got x rays done. My new dentist said he same thing- nothing is wrong with the tooth and that the filling is too small for it to hit the nerve. What can be happening? I’m frustrated and it’s not easy living pain.

Thanks for reading.

Dear Ross,

I check the forum almost daily 🙂

It is pretty disappointing to have those two dentists ignore your pain…a failure on our profession.
If you had a silver mercury fillin replaced then my main concern would be that there is a fracture. These old amalgams fracture teeth all the time. So, you should have the white fillin removed, the tooth checked for fractures, and then the appropriate filling or onlay placed.
If there is a fracture then a fillin is useless and you need a restoration like an onlay or a crown to hold the tooth together.

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris,

A week ago I went to my hygienist for a cleaning and mentioned that I had a bad taste between two specific teeth when flossing every night. I asked if there was a food trap in the gap between those teeth. She poked around and felt a cavity. We took an xray which revealed a smooth surface cavity in my #12 bicuspid, near the gumline, where it faces the #13 tooth. The dentist took a look and commented that it looked pretty deep on the xray, and may have infected the pulp. The dentist drilled the tooth later that same day. He said he cleaned out the decay he could see, but that it was very close to the pulp and he worried it had been exposed (although there was no bleeding), explaining it’s often a microscopic issue. He applied an antiseptic and then placed a hybrid composite filling (giomer resin with glass ionomer components as filler). He gave it a 50/50 chance that the tooth would need coot canal therapy sooner or later. Over the past 4 days, I have had a dull pain in the tooth which comes and goes, and some sensitivity to cold. The pain has been causing me to have a constant dull headache. I’m not sure what to make of this pain. I guess it could be from the trauma of drilling so far down in the tooth, or it could be that the pulp has been infected. It’s strange because the tooth did not ache even slightly before the filling was placed. Does the pain have to be pretty severe to indicate the pulp is infected? Also, I’ve read that Giomers, which are composite/glass ionomer hybrids, leach fluoride, aluminum, and other metals. My mom had a glass ionomer placed a few years ago and had a severe reaction. She became very sick and had to have it removed in order to feel better. She believes this was due to the fluoride, aluminum, and other ions leached from the glass ionomer cement. It appears that Giomers leach much less fluoride than the cement versions of glass ionomers, but I wonder if I have some of the same hyper-sensitivity to these materials that my mom experienced, and whether that could account for this constant headache. Thanks for any insights you might have!

-Patrick

Dear Patrick,

It looks like your dentist did fine, but here are some points to consider…
First, if it was really deep we often place a pulp cap (calcium hydroxide) to improve the chances of the tooth needing a root canal treatment.
Glass ionomer fillings (such as Fuji IX) have been highly successful when used correctly. Clinical studies show that the pulp heals just fine after being exposed to glass ionomer.
It is possible to have a reaction to almost anything, including glass ionomer and its ingredients. Since your mother had a reaction this is worth looking at.
Lastly, the sensation you have (dull ache, throbbing) is usually an indication that the tooth is dying. I would return to your dentist and have him/her evaluate how it is doing.
I hope this helps,

Dr. Chris

I went to the dentist today to get two white fillings. Well first off they didn’t numb me correctly and I could still feel a sharp pain in my tooth. Second they only took 30 mins to do my fillings . I don’t know how long it should take but 30 mins just seems a little fast. Now my teeth are hurting and I can’t close my mouth all the way cause the fillings are not molded with my teeth it’s more like a big bulk of filling just sitting on my teeth. My friend has the same dentist as I do and she had the exact same problem. It took 5 months for her fillings to mold to her teeth. Now her filling is coming out and she is in pain . Any suggestions on what I should do? I would greatly appreciate it .

Dear Jassmyn,

Sounds like you need to find a new dentist 🙂

A quality white filling does not take long to place, it just needs to be done correctly. Right now your filling is a bit too big and needs to be adjusted as soon as possible! Not adjusting the tooth/bite can kill the tooth and cause major issues.

1. Get your white filling adjusted
2. Find a new dentist

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris,

Thought I would write a comment and ask a question, since you’re so kindly active with responses 🙂

Until January of this year I had been seeing the same dentist my whole life. I had a few small fillings about 2-3 years ago, but was told that otherwise everything was fine. I did have a sweet tooth and was open about it, but he said that I brushed well etc so although I could stand to cut down everything looked okay. Then came January, when I went for the yearly checkup. My usual dentist was not there, so I saw a new one for the first time. He took one look, an xray to be sure, and basically said “I have no idea what the heck the other dentist was doing telling you everything is fine, because it isn’t, and you need some fillings as soon as possible”. This was pretty upsetting-as I was told everything was fine and I was doing things right, I never had the opportunity to prevent this. Ever since I have changed diet, bought fluoride toothpaste/mouthwash, brush before food and rinse after to help with acids, now drink green tea instead of black as it doesn’t need sweetening for my tastes, and so on. Not that I didn’t brush twice a day etc beforehand, but obviously it wasn’t good enough, and I didn’t know.

There were no appointments available though for months, and as I spend half my time in another country, I decided to get treatment there rather than fly back as it worked out cheaper. The dental practice I went to is owned by a family member of my partner, and has a good reputation, so no issues there that you may expect with treatment abroad. The dentist speaks relatively good English but my partner is fluent in both languages so can translate more technical issues.

The dentist I have there also echoed the sentiments of the second dentist, saying that things were not fine and that I needed treatment-not even taking an xray to see this. So far, I have had three fillings, deep ones, with apparently three little ones left to go. For two of the teeth, she mostly replaced the old silver coloured with the white tooth coloured kind (sorry if my explanation is poor, I didn’t ask too much about the details yet, felt it wouldn’t help my nerves/fear) and for the third just used the tooth coloured kind. She said the original filling was coming away a bit, and could be expected of older fillings-though as I wrote above, the fillings were only a few years old at most. Because of this there was additional damage to the cavities and she feared it would need orthodontic (?) treatment, but it seemed to be fine.

Two of the fillings are fine, feel great, all is well. The first one she did, which I don’t believe she commented about fearing it needing treatment but which did have an older filling, this one still has a small problem. It is not sensitive to cold or heat, but it is sensitive to pressure when eating/chewing. It isn’t the whole tooth, and the pain doesn’t really linger. As far as I can tell, it is in the center of the tooth on top, if it matters. On the second visit I mentioned this and she added varnish (?) to the tooth, though I am not sure if that was related. I mentioned it again at my visit yesterday, and she did something to it which decreased the area of sensitivity (though when she applied the drill to it, that was hellish) but it does still have a sort of… sharp? throbbing? pain. Reading around, some sensitivity is normal for 2-3 weeks after a filling but I’m unsure if this is the kind of thing it applies to. What advice would you give? My next appointment is Friday.

Apologies if my explanations were poor, I didn’t want anything more than the bare details until everything was over-as I got older I seem to have become frightened of the dentist for some reason (maybe the pain? The injections of anesthetic didn’t work easily any of my visits so far) and not knowing what to fear seems to help a bit.

Thank you for reading 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to write all that! Sounds like you really care about your teeth. First, it is important to note that there are many type of dentists out there…some like to “watch and see”, some are more proactive. I prefer proactive!

With your desire to do everything right you will do just fine with your teeth 🙂

So, to your teeth. Old silver mercury amalgam fillings crack teeth, ALL THE TIME. They are awful and should be illegal. That is my opinion 🙂 So, when you need to replace them often there are fractures in the tooth that can result in problem…For the tooth that still hurts the first thing to do is make sure the bite is perfect, meaning the white filling is adapted correctly into the tooth. If that does not solve the problem then the dentist needs to look at a possible fracture in the tooth. If that is the most likely diagnosis then only a restoration that hold the tooth together will work, such as a crown. Try to avoid waiting till the dentist recommends a root canal treatment as that is not a great solution…the fracture will still be there, now probably down the side of the root and possible result in the tooth being lost.

I wish you well,

Dr. Chris

*sorry, to clarify this sentence:

“but it does still have a sort of… sharp? throbbing? pain.”

I don’t mean that it feels this way all the time, again only when applying pressure (chewing), and only in one part of the tooth from the top.

This sounds more and more like a fracture! Let me know what happens on Friday 🙂

Im facing d same problem, and it hurts terribly.

To Dr. Chris,

Hello again! I’m the one who commented a few days ago with the possible fractured tooth. I went again to the dentist, and I’ll try to write what happened to the best of my memory, hopefully without too many mistakes. Thank you again for reading and giving your opinion, it’s very helpful and reassuring even if you aren’t able to confirm things in person! 🙂

I asked whether the hurting tooth could be fractured, and my dentist said she didn’t think it was likely, but more that the previous silver-coloured filling had put pressure on the tooth that wasn’t replaced when she replaced it with the composite filling. She filed it yet again, and put a coat of varnish on it. In the morning when I tried to floss, there was the pressure pain on one side, but when she finished varnishing and did the after floss there wasn’t really pain/there was improvement. However, now that I’ve been able to eat, it feels as if the pain is still there but now spread out a little over the surface, if that makes sense? Again, not in the whole tooth or any time it’s touched, just in parts. She said that we would give it another week or so, and if things didn’t improve, she would suggest a root canal. I’m terrified at the thought 🙁

I apparently also need my upper right wisdom tooth either fixed (filling), or removed. It had no issues coming in, and doesn’t have problems now besides the decay, but it is at an odd angle which makes it hard to clean even with the smaller toothbrush heads. I don’t mind having it removed-not as if I am using it!-but it is probably more drastic that way. What would you think? If the tooth is already out and in place, can it be pulled like any other tooth?

I also had a filling in molar 7 on the bottom right, and it needs to be filed further (which I will have done next week), but it feels as if it’s causing my bite to be misplaced as one of my front lower incisors is now pushing on the top left one, including when I chew which isn’t ideal. Hopefully that will be fixed with a filing? I have a small jaw so had to have a lower incisor removed followed by braces when I was a teenager, so I’m very worried about them being pushed out of place again.

Finally, we’ve been having problems with the anesthesia every session. Yesterday I had five injections, four on the same side for that lower molar, and still only my cheek and lips went numb. My tongue/gums/etc didn’t at all, and when she drilled down the tooth for the filling, I felt it and it was very painful. We tried three times inject/wait/file, but it didn’t take. In the end I said to get it over with, rather than come back, and she did but it was awful and hurt a lot. She said that it might be because I am so nervous (and this doesn’t help) but surely it has to work at some point regardless? 😀 This additionally makes me terrified of a possible root canal-they have the reputation for being painful, and if anesthesia doesn’t work, well… do you have any advice there either please?

Thank you again for reading and replying, it’s really nice to have a second opinion/additional thoughts 🙂

-K

I recently went in to get a cavity filled and received the composite filling. The pain and sensitivity after the novacaine wore off was brutal, especially to cold and extreme pressure. After going in to get the resulting bite checked out a few days later, the dentist suggested that shrinkage may have occurred (no one likes shrinkage) and he re-did the filing with amalgam or whatever the temporary filling is. It has felt much better since he did the procedure, so luckily it seems a root canal will not be in my near future.

Dear Austin,

Glad it worked out for you. Composite restorations are an amazing filling type but do require meticulous attention to detail and technique. Sounds like you had a bad experience there…hopefully in the future you can have that amalgam filling replaced with a proper white filling to prevent the tooth from fracturing.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

I went to the dentist he said my fillings where leaking. So he replaced them. My right sided teeth where still hurting to bite on as well as to cold, so I waited about 3 days, I went back he did the freezing thing and it hurt bad. So he said they needed to be adjusted and said he was going to put basically so sort of installation before. It has been almost a week since and my jawline near my my ear and up to my ear is hurting as well as my tongue it feels as if I was biting it. The pain comes and goes but I cant tell if its my teeth still or my jaw still sore.

Dear Maxine,

When you do an ice test on a tooth you are looking for specific results:
1. Quick response to cold and goes away quick = normal
2. Quick response to cold and lingering = irritated tooth
3. Slow, building response with aching = dead or dying tooth

So, there are many issues that could be at play here. How large is the filling? Was it a silver mercury filling before?
Adjusting the bite is always the first step. If that does not work the filling may need to be redone or a larger type of restoration such as a onlay or crown could be indicated.
Send me more info and I will try to help more 🙂

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris,

This past June I had four amalgam fillings replaced with some kind of composite, on the four right-side molars, above and below. They were very old fillings (around 25-30 years old) but I had never had problems, never any pain or unusual sensitivity with them. It was my own initiative to replace them, purely out of concerns about mercury toxicity (of which I have experienced many of the known symptoms, for all the years since the fillings were placed).

The dentist I found said it would be a simple procedure to have all these amalgam fillings replaced, no problem. I believed him: I had no idea that it could be in any way a complicated procedure. He followed all the best protocol for replacing mercury fillings, as far as I could tell, and has many years of experience with replacing amalgam fillings in his mercury-free holistic dentistry practice.

After the new fillings were done, I went back once to have the bite adjusted, but then I continued to have sensitivity on that side. Throughout the following months I was not able to chew at all on that side, and even just drinking water hurt. But I read that sensitivity was typical, that the teeth needed to “settle”, so I did not worry too much. And the receptionist at the dentist’s office did not seem to think it was a big deal or cause for concern. But after three months began very severe pain, and one of those teeth (#2) has now died. It had the largest and deepest amalgam filling. The other three of those right-side molars are all still sensitive, and after trying the ice test I believe the back right molar below is also dying.

Perhaps I can find a new dentist who has a deeper level of understanding and skill in these matters… Do you believe that every AACD-accredited dentist really has a similar level of expertise as you? There a few here in my area, and even an “accredited fellow”. Initially I had hoped to get the four left-side molars done as well (which are full of old amalgam fillings too), but now I have become very concerned about the whole thing, as you can imagine.

I would like to find someone who understands as much about all this as you do, as I fear otherwise I may lose all the rest of my molars. Perhaps it would be best for me to come to your practice in Louisville. It is very far away, but the idea of losing all of my molars is a terrible thought.

Any help or suggestions you might be able to give would be much appreciated.

Thank you so much,
A.

Hello Dr. Chris,

I had a 26 year old amalgam filling replaced on my 2nd lower-left molar, with a composite filling, about three weeks ago, and I wish I never had done so. After the first week, the entire left-side of my face was is pain. A week later, the pain moved to the upper and lower left teeth, left-side of my jaw, and left ear. I am now on the third week, and the pain comes and goes, it normally starts a few minutes after I eat and brush. When I do get these occurrences of pain, it now only affects the left-side of my jaw. The tooth on which the filling was replaced, does not hurt, though it is sensitive to cold; it feels more like the nerves all along my jaw flare up, and cause the pain in my jaw.

I have been taking one Advil twice a day; in the morning, and before going to sleep, but I can’t be on this drug forever. My question is, since the area of pain has been reduced, should I expect for all of the pain to eventually go away? I did revisit my dentist about one week ago, and she took x-rays, and said that all looked okay. She told me to wait another week, since the composite filling may need some time to settle (contract and then expand to it’s settled state). She says that this could definitely be the cause of the pain, since the composite filling is pulling on the tooth. I also noticed that this tooth has hairline fractures which are visible around the bottom , just before the tooth meets the gum.

I would truly appreciate any recommendations, and thanks.

Tony

Dear Tony,

I am sorry to hear about your experience… Here are my thoughts:

1. Composites don’t need time to “settle”. Every material expands and contracts, including composite, but the composite material should be cured completely after placement.

2. The reason we place composite in small increments (less than 2mm at a time) is to minimize polymerization shrinkage. The way we build the filling also is designed to minimize this. If the filling is not built correctly then it can put too much stress on the tooth.

3. Silver mercury amalgams always crack a tooth, eventually, as they continue to expand and contract 3 times more than tooth structure. When you replace a amalgam you need to expect and look for these cracks. Often a “filling”, no matter what material (gold, porcelain, composite) with continue to put pressure on that crack and make it worse. Think of it like splitting wood. Once the axe has hit the wood it only takes a little more pressure on top of the axe to split the whole log in half.

4. The furthest back tooth in your mouth gets the most biting force, making #3 above that much more important.

5. If the tooth has a fracture, which is think is very likely, then it needs a crown to hold the tooth together before it breaks apart. It is critical that the dentist checks for cracks with high power loupes (magnification) and light after the amalgam was removed. Did the dentist have these? I find it impossible to deliver decent dentistry without 4.5x magnification!

So, long story short, with the level of pain you are describing I would expect the need for a crown due to a fracture is your answer. If you wait too long the tooth could fracture beyond repair, even if the dentist does a root canal treatment (which is a whole new can of worms). Don’t let the dentist put you off. Either get the crown or redo the filling checking for fractures. Historically speaking amalgam replacement often results in crowns (I call it the seed restoration – check next blog post).

I hope this helps!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dear Tony,

I hope the last response helps 🙂

To answer the questions you had in this comment, see below:

I am in the middle of the spectrum (in everything actually), meaning, I have no label. I am not holistic or scientific, I am me. My experiences and gut feeling coupled with what I have learned from people I respect created my life philosophy. That being said, I am not a fan of amalgams, root canals or poorly done composite for that matter. Everything has a time and a place. Everything has a price attached to it. Nothing is perfect.

So, while I am a AACD Accredited Cosmetic Dentist I can’t say everyone has my belief system. What I can do is tell you that these dentists, especially fellows, will find cracks, place fillings correctly and give you all the options. If you like you can send me the dentists in your area and I can tell you who I would see, if I have a preference 🙂

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Thank you for the response Dr. Chris.

I went to see my dentist today, and she removed the composite filling, and coated the part of my tooth which was drilled, with a liquid that is used to allow the tooth to generate dentin, and then she refilled the tooth with a temporary filling. She performed a cold test on the tooth, and I was late to react to the cold on that tooth, so she thinks that the tooth may be suffering pulpitis, causing the nerve to die. The tooth is not infected, nor was there any cavity, this tooth just had an old amalgam filling which she replaced four weeks ago. I was also late in reacting to the cold test on other teeth as well, so I don’t know how reliable this test is, in determining a dying nerve.

My question is, do you think that the nerve is dying due to pulpitis, which is a result of having the amalgam replaced with a composite filling? She says that she wants to see me in two weeks, and if I do not react quick to a cold test on that tooth, then she will need to perform a root canal, since the nerve is dying. I don’t want to have a root canal, because I know that it will be downhill for that tooth from that point on (brittleness, blackness, etc.). Do you think that I will be just fine having a composite filling put back in, and no root canal?

Dear Tony,

Pulpitis simply means the tooth is irritated. A late response to a cold test is no reason for a root canal treatment.

I would do just about anything before I got a root canal treatment myself!

No liquid “generates dentin”. They probably put down gluma (which should not be applied near the pulp) or calcium hydroxide. Either way it would take more than 2 weeks to get a decent improvement.

I would let the temporary filling sit until it feels better or actually gets worse. Then make a call. This could be a few months.

Cheers,

Christian

Hi!

I had a composite filling done four weeks ago on bottom molar. I went in the next day for adjustment because one side of the tooth was very sharp. Everything was good but I noticed about a week later that I had sensitivity to pressure… If I ate anything semi-hard there was a shock of sensitivity that made me cringe. I don’t have constant ache or pain and no sensitivity to temp. Went in yesterday to have the dentist look at it as he said it might be the bite… he shaved a little off the side where he said was a contact point. It feels even more sensitive to pressure now.

After the initial filling my dentist said that he had to go a little closer to the edge of my tooth than he thought he would which made the technique different and the edge of the actual tooth thinner. The filing is also very low. Dentist said the cavity was on the smaller side.

Should I give it some time for my bite to adjust? My dentist said the next option is a crown…is this my only other option or should I consider something else first? I’d rather not have unnecessary work done and from what I read sometimes the filling just needs to be re-done?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Dear KK,

If there was a silver mercury filling in the tooth before then the chances are pretty good that it has a fracture, which would need a crown to hopefully fix.

If there is no fracture then it could be polymerization shrinkage which would be due to bulk filling and curing the composite. This would require the filling to be redone in small increments.

Those are the two most likely scenarios. Other issues could be the bite, which you already had adjusted, a failed bond – technique or moisture issues, and under-polymerization.

It is impossible to know which of these issues it is, but most of the time it is a fracture from those wonderful amalgams!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris

I have had a composite filling 5 weeks ago to my top premolar after an accident of falling off the stairs. The tooth was fractured and 20% of outer layer came off. When I went to see the dentist, he restored it with some composite resin bonding. The tooth was fine for about 5 weeks with slight sensitivity to cold water occasionally until yesterday where I had throbbing pain to the tooth. Drinking cold water gave a temporary comfort but the pain will continue to come back.

I went to see the dentist again today and he did a tapping test and a cold test. I felt a very sharp pain when he tapped the tooth and the tooth didn’t react much to the cold test. There is no infection, nor have any cavity, just a composite filling 5 weeks ago. He explained that my nerve might be dead after the accident because the tooth was traumatised and suggested that I may need a root canal treatment. He also suggested that the nerve might be just irritated and should be fine after a while. We decided to take some X-rays to see if there is a problem. I received a call earlier from the assistant saying that there is no abscess shown on the X-ray to the tooth. Since I am going on holiday tomorrow and will not be back until 3 weeks later, I will have to wait till I come back to receive the treatment if the pain persists.

My question is should I wait that long to get it treated? what happens if I left it untreated for 3 weeks? Is this what they call irreversible pulpitis?

Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions that you provide

Lee

Sorry to invade your thread but this is happening to me as well.
I had the same and I am infuriated but with TWO teeth. I had a crown placed (first time–no fractures in tooth) and a different filling from when i was a teenager (I am almost 40 now) had to be replaced due to leakage.ZERO DECAY. When I was younger I didn’t take care of my teeth and got cavities in between the bands of my braces (funny, because that was not supposed to happen.)
I moved to a new city and after having worked in ortho as an assistant I met two dentists right off the bat and knew they were no good, I went to a different one based upon a referral. Both teeth–no pain prior.I would not have know anything was wrong at all–the dentist said they (the fillings) needed to be replaced. Both molars–one top and one bottom. Nerves tested great prior. Now both are horrific pain to hot and cold, and pressure. I cannot even eat anything out of the refrigerator without wincing. I drink luke warm fluids–cannot have hot. It has been almost a year on the crown, and four months on the other (both composite) and the dentist and her staff are telling me it is MY FAULT and I am just a sensitive person. I don’t know who to go to here because everyone seems to be more of the same–they want to crown my whole mouth and give me quack advice, which is really ticking me off as I am entering medical school soon and my confidence and trust in the dental community is just shot. The dentist refuses to do anything for me. My insurance is statewide and I want to drive back home to where this never ever happened before but my old dentist doesn’t use composite on molars. I am super apprehensive about going to the dentist as it is and would rather have joint reconstruction again (seriously!)I have my first cavity right now in almost a decade and I am refusing to go in. I don;t know what to do. Al these dentists in my city (which is a capitol city) are supposed to be good here but I am finding they are not as they are all fresh out of med school/dental school as i am finding this area is a springboard for people to screw up and get their feet wet before moving on to the big jobs.
What do I do? Go to an endo at this point to see someone with experience and make sure they have been practicing at least ten years?

Dear Dr. Chris,
On Christmas eve I had the amalgam filling removed and replaced with a white filling on tooth #18. As soon as the novacaine wore off I had severe pain. Dentist prescribed clindamaycin 300mg every 6 hours. She said that the matrix band cut into my gum behind the tooth. I took the antibiotic for 7 days then had very bad side effects. Its now 14 hour’s off the antibiotic and the pain is back. I cannot brush that tooth because my gum is so sensitive and it bleeds. Do I need more antibiotics? I have been also rinsing with warm salt water. Any help would be great….I’m at the end of my rope. Thank you

I had four white fillings put in 3 weeks ago and they are still hurting so bad. The pain is come and go, i went back to my dentist amd she said everything was fine. She also said if it doesnt stop in another 1, i may need extra work done.. what do you think??

Dear Trisha,

White fillings are great when placed correctly. I do not know much about your situation but the teeth should be feeling better….if your dentist is not able to help then maybe you need to get a second opinion prior to having them work on you again!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I went to the dentist about 7 weeks ago because I had a molar that was sensitive to cold. Turns out I had a deep cavity which was then filled with a composite filling. However, I’ve noticed the tooth is still sensitive to cold. It’s usually just when I eat something really cold or place something like my tongue on it that’s really cold, and it’s sensitive for a second than it goes away. I am wondering if this is something I should be concerned about or will it eventually get better? I don’t want to have to get a root canal.

Dear G Greene,

Sounds like the cavity was pretty big and a little sensitivity can be normal….for a while. If it does not go away after a few weeks then I would talk to my dentist. It could be a bonding issue most likely then.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had had silver fillings placed in Teeth #2, #3, and #31 about 10 years ago. I was told recently that they would need replaced eventually to prevent the teeth from cracking. I went ahead and had them replaced with composite filling. It’s been 5 weeks now and was told by the dentist who redid them that I would be sensitive up to 6 weeks after. However, my whole right side aches so I am taking Advil (prescribed by another dentist due to the fact that she thought it was just swelling and causing the nerve to be sensitive). But my main problem is that I am having severe cold sensitivity in Tooth # 30. What does this mean since it wasn’t even one they worked on but next to one that they did? I don’t have any pain when I eat normally but its the cold that is horrible.

Dear Patty,

Tough call…cold sensitivity from a tooth or a filling where there was no cold sensitivity before can be due to several things…

The article you posted under describes the reasons 🙂

Most likely in your case is that the bonding procedure is flawed – too much shrinkage of the composite, bad bonding technique, or the bite is off and irritating the tooth.

I would ask the dentist to look at it and do some tests. It should not hurt for 6 weeks!!!!!!!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had to get a filling taken out then refilled on friday because part of the tooth broke. I had 2 shots of novicane. Later friday evening I experienced some pain once the novicane wore off, but that slowly went away. It is now 5 days later and everyday, on and off I feel a slight throbbing achey pain. It also becomes sensitive when I eat or drink cold or hot beverages. I have the white filling. I have had fillings done before and had never experience thins lingering throbbing.
Please let me know if this is normal.

Thanks!

Dear Nick,

Sounds like there may be a fracture in your tooth…did it have an old silver mercury filling? Those are notorious for cracking teeth…and since your tooth broke once already when the fillings was being placed there is a good chance it has more cracks.
So, no, it is not normal and I hope you can go back and have the tooth looked at again…it may require a more extensive restoration.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris,
A couple years ago I was a bit concerned with my amalgam fillings and considered getting them replaced with composite fillings. My dentist figured I should keep them in plce until they actually need to come out. My fiance recommended I see their dentist for a second opinion and reluctantly went since I trusted my dentist.
The second dentist recommended getting all the amalgams removed since I was still young and insisted they would do a good job. Long story short, the dentist seemed a bit careless and put large fillings in all my molars, without doing any increments and it feels like the fillings are squeezing my molars together and I deal with quite a bit of pain that goes into my jaw fairly often.
If I may invite your opinion, what do you think should be my next stp in trying to correct this situation, I fear I might be needing some root canals in the very near future or at least crowns.
Thanks for your time!

Kind Regards
Rod

Dear Rod,

Have you spoken to your dentist? A simple bite adjustment may be all that is needed. Amalgam does crack teeth so if the dentist finds symptoms of a fracture then you will need a crown. I am of the opinion that the sooner you remove amalgams the better. Not all dentists agree with me (at least not in this country) but that is fine 🙂

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

A piece of my second to last bottom tooth broke off on a saturday, but I had no pain. I went into the dentist on Monday, and he gave me what he referred to as a “temporary filling” which appears to be white in color. Again, no pain. When I woke up on Tuesday, I had intense pain with no relief from OTC pain medication, like ibuprofen. By Thursday, I was back at the dentist office, wondering if I had an infection of some sort. A different dentist looked and said the temporary filling was set a bit high and filed it down, which gave a bit of relief while in the chair, but I have yet to get any real relief, in fact the pain is getting worse. I was given antibotics in case of an infection, but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything to help offset the pain. I believe I may have had a silver filling in this tooth back in the 80s or 90s. I am hoping I will not a root canal, but the second dentist said I would need either a root canal or to remove the tooth completely. This all seems so drastic and yet I had no pain until they touched me! What are your thoughts?

Dear Lisa,

It sounds like the temporary filling may have been a tad high but the underlying problem most likely is just like you said….the wonderful old silver mercury filling that cracked the tooth.
I would talk to your dentist about getting some sort of cuspal coverage restoration as soon as possible. There is a chance the tooth is cracked in which case a root canal is not a good option….

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris

My right lower molar has broke I went to the dentist and he told me that I had a decay from the side which cause it to break (it had no other fillings before). he cleaned it and installed a Composite filing and did a bit adjustment and it feels right but after the novicane has worn off, my tooth started to hurt a little but it does hurt when chewing anything that is semi hard or hard. it’s been like that for 2 days so far. it’s not sensitive when I eat either hot and cold things. I don’t want to do root canal.

what are your thoughts?

Thanks much in advance
Cheers!

Thank you Mohamed for your question. Please visit my new podcast on Drill The Dentist http://www.drillthedentist.com to see your answer! I am trying to answer most if not all questions once a week. I hope I will be able to help you.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hello, I have a question. A few weeks ago I had a terrible toothache and went in for a filling on #12. The dentist said it was a deep one but all went without incident and it felt much better when it was done. It has felt fine since I had it filled but now within the last few days the tooth has been a bit sensitive. Not to hot or cold but it feels funny when I tap on the tooth. Its not necessarily painful, it reminds me of the pressure when I had braces first put on years ago where it almost felt good to push my teeth together, if that makes sense. Ive read about the possibility that the filling could be too high but i think my bite feels ok. Any idea what is causing this? Really hoping I don’t need a root canal…

Thank you Mandy for your question. Please visit my new podcast on Drill The Dentist http://www.drillthedentist.com to see your answer! I am trying to answer most if not all questions once a week. I hope I will be able to help you.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hi, thank you for being here for people. Am very concerned, had two back to back molars bottem left worked on. Silver fillings replaced with composite. Never had pain in those teeth, am 44 yrs. old. Since numbing medicine wore off, very painful nerve pain whenever I try to chew. After three days went back to dentist, was told maybe composite didn’t fully cure so he had his assistant apply the bonding light to teeth again. My question is, is this harmful to my teeth and can the composite still be hardened days later, and does this damage the filling?

Thank you Susan for your question. Please visit my new podcast on Drill The Dentist http://www.drillthedentist.com to see your answer! I am trying to answer most if not all questions once a week. I hope I will be able to help you.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

Also: forgot to mention that the teeth on left lower side are now very sensitive and painful when chewing cold food, have to stop chewing, this never occurred before filling replacement.

Hello Dr. Chris,

I had a small fracture in the last molar on the lower left side of my mouth. I started having sharp shooting pain in my jaw, and went to the dentist for what I thought might be an extraction. It was a tooth that had an Amalgam filling in it. She showed me the X-Ray and said there was no decay beneath the tooth. I could see that there was a small amount of tooth missing as was visible to me, anyway. She said she would do a treatment and put in a pulp cap and fill it with the goal to keep the tooth from having to be removed. It is 2 days after the surgery and I am in more pain than I originally was. I called the dentist and she ordered Amoxicillin to “calm the pain down.” The gum around the tooth looks swollen to me and the tooth feels “tight” or too packed. What should be my next step to resolve this issue? I am willing to have the extraction, if it’ll save me from all this pain and inconvenience of taking up time going back and forward with it.

Thank you Lori for your question. Please visit my new podcast on Drill The Dentist http://www.drillthedentist.com to see your answer! I am trying to answer most if not all questions once a week. I hope I will be able to help you.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

Hello Dr.
Today I went in and had 5 fillings done on the right side of my mouth. Everything was going good until the Doctor started on my two lower cavities. I instantly had pain during and after she was finished. She made sure my bite and all the edges were fine and nothing was uncomfortable. But even after she finished my tooth ached and has ached for a few hours consistently. It’s a constant pain, that’s what worries me… because previous to my visit my tooth had no pain. It aches and is pretty hard to bare. .. your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

Thank you Shea for your question. Please visit my new podcast on Drill The Dentist to see your answer! I am trying to answer most if not all questions once a week. I hope I will be able to help you.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,

About a week ago I had a large composite filling placed in the second to last lower right molar and also one in the same tooth on the lower left side. First of all, they were deep fillings; however, neither caused me any discomfort until a few days afterward. I say discomfort because it is not a severe or even moderate pain but more of a mild, pulsing ache. This ache is on the right side, and it is brought on by contact with food while chewing or if my teeth come into contact a certain way. I don’t have the best bite anyway, and I suffer from bruxism time to time, especially when stressing out, i.e. worrying about this darn tooth. The filling on the left is causing no discomfort, but it seems to be a bit too large, so I figure it needs adjusting. I just want your opinion as to why this suspicious ache is occurring. Coupled with the description I’ve already given of a mild pulsing ache, it could also be described as similar to the way it feels after having braces tightened, i.e. the loose tooth feeling. I will also add that I can touch the tooth without causing pain, and it is only slightly sensitive too cold liquid, not at all to hot, and not to air. I have been thinking that me clenching my teeth recently while asleep may have brought on this sensation that I’m now having, but then again I’m not a dentist. However, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night! Thank you very much in advance for your response, and thank you for caring so much for your patients and also for those of us who seek your advice in disconcerting times. You truly are part of a rare and dying breed. Thanks again!

Spence

Dear Spence,

Sorry to just get to your question….there are just too many! 🙂

So number one, you need a good nightguard to control the bruxism or you will destroy your teeth! Secondly, dull ache means “dead or dying” tooth…sorry. Deep filings can result in a tooth dying and then the stress of gringind on the tooth is the last straw if you know what I mean.
I hope by now you have resolved this issue and got yourself a good nightguard 🙂 If you have more questions I promise I will respond quickly!

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Chris

I went two days ago to the dentist here in Louisville to get a filling. It turns out I needed three major fillings. The dentist did the main part then her student helper filled it.and now I have pain where I haven’t had pain at before. I can still eat and all that. She told me if I have pain to come back and get it taking care of, the main tooth that needed to be refill was an possible extraction I would rather do that than an root canal as they where suggesting. I wanna find a new dentist , it no one here really takes my insurance. What should I do?

Please check my podcast for your answer at http://www.drillthedentist.com episode 4!

hi Dr. Chris, I found this blog through Google. Two weeks ago I got 7 fillings after a lifetime of NOT ever having cavities. All of the fillings are composite. 2 days later I got braces put on. Most of my teeth are adjusting nicely to the pain of braces but the back molars I got filled not only hurt, but whenever I bite down on something harder than soft canned fruit my teeth feel like I am biting down on rocks! The pain is excruciating! And of course I want to be a good braces patient so I am brushing and flossing, but flossing between the teeth with the fillings actually makes me cry.

WHY does it hurt so badly?

Please check my Drill The Dentist podcast for your answer – Episode 4!

Hi Dr. Chris I had 6 cavities(which I am NOT proud of) filled with composite filling in less than 20 minutes (I think the dentist wanted to quickly get it done) and 3 of those teeth are bothering me (I haven’t been to a dentist in 2-3 years before this) and everyone is saying it’ll wear off its a constant pain and pain killers didn’t even take care of the job they are all molars and its a deep down into my jaw tooth ache that won’t go away what is wrong/can I do to stop it

Please check my Drill The Dentist podcast for your answer – Episode 4!

Dr. Chris. I have recently had the white composite material used in both sides of my lower teeth, after the first, I noticed a crack down the middle of the tooth, it wasn’t a large filling, only a surface filling, and I am surethe crack wasn’t there before, and when I went back in after complaining, he said it wasn’t a crack, he said it was a natural indentation, but my husband saw it also, it WAS a crack, which probably happened due to expansion. So my dentist drilled in the middle of the crack and filled it with more white composite. I have so much pain, which he said should get better, but it has been 3 weeks. then he filled more cavities on the other side, which now hurt also, they were just surface fillings. I have never been in so much pain, and now feel sick, and nauseous. I’m sick about how much money I have spent there now, and feel ripped off, because I feel I need to pay yet another dentist. Does he have any financial obligation to me? I originally had one tooth that needed help. Now my whole mouth is in pain. I never really asked him to do the other work, and thought he had talked to my husband about this work, but he hadn’t, and now I am in the thousands!

Please check my Drill The Dentist podcast for your answer – Episode 4!

Hello there!
Around a year ago I had a tooth extraction and 8 fillings. As far as pain goes I just had really bad headaches for a few days. Until about a month ago, the fillings on the right side of my mouth just started hurting. Either from temperature or out of the blue and the only thing that makes them feel better is gum. Why after all this time are my fillings bothering me? What can I do to prevent them from hurting again?
Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
-Amy

Dear Amy,

This is a unique problem that requires diligent evaluation of the bite and the fit of your new restorations…I would check for an acidic environment in your mouth (soda, etc.) which can quickly cause problems. Bacteria also releases acid and if the restorations are bacteria traps then this will also cause the problem you mentioned above.
I hope you have found relief from your discomfort….

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris 🙂
I had two fillings done on my 2 last top left molars. It’s been 12 days since my procedure. I have had fillings before but never have they hurt, nevertheless hurt this badly. I couldn’t chew (sharp throbbing pain) cold and hot massive sensitivity, and the pain would just linger for 30 min after activating every time i tried to chew. (I say 30 min which would be time it took for ibuprofen 800 to kick in. I couldn’t have anyone talk to me and I just had the urge to crash my head onto a window! I did notice that filling was too high and so I went back to my dentist 3 days later to explain to her my pain and get the filling lowered. she drilled again to file it down. After my anesthesia wore off, the pain from before was 2x worse!! It wasn’t only activating anymore when I ate but now it was waking me up at night. I kept taking ibuprofen to relieve the pain. A week later I went back for my other appt. For more fillings, but I told her that my pain had worsen and that I was not going to allow any more procedures in my mouth until this was taken care of. She told me that some people react differently to the fillings and so she removed my fillings, replaced it with an antibiotic temp filling and to take 7day supply of antibiotics orally. she wants to see me in another week. She told me I would be able to eat. But it’s been 3 days and the pain has subsided a bit but I still have it. I’m scared to get anymore work done. And I also noticed that when she did the fillings the first time, she was too quick she didn’t even use the light to cure the fillings, didn’t smooth out, etc. I’m scared, pissed, disappointed. Is it too soon to know what happened? Or is it best to get a new dentist?
Fillings are composite.
Thank you Dr.

-Natalia

Dear Natalia!

Sorry to hear about your bad dental experience. First and foremost, no more dentistry till that problem is resolved!
You read the post about the fractures of the tooth…over time the teeth begin to fail due to fatigue failure. Drilling out an old filling and placing a new one is traumatic to the tooth no matter how you look at it. Placing a filling incorrectly and leaving it hitting the opposite tooth often is fatal.
The way your tooth is responding – aching, etc., already tells me the root is dead or dying. Giving a patient antibiotics will only make it feel better if the root is the problem. So, if it feels a little better after about 2 days of antibiotics then the tooth is “dead or dying” and will need root therapy. Sorry.
While all patients react differently to fillings, every tooth reacts the same to a high filling 🙂 They die over time.

So, no more fillings, new dentist, preferably someone with a great reputation such as a speaker, AACD Accredited person, etc.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

PS: Check out the podcasts and the new site http://www.drillthedentist.com

Almost 2 months ago my dentist replaced 2 fillings. Since then, I have pain when I bite down on food on one of the teeth. I have gone back twice to have the bite adjusted. Is there a way to tell whether the filling needs to be redone or I need a crown?

Dear Sharon,

It really is not easy to tell what needs to be done…has the pain gone away? A crown is used when the tooth is ready to break or has little tooth structure left. Biting pain often is due to flexing of the tooth and oftne a crown is the only way to fix that (or an onlay).

I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

There is a good chance Sharon that the teeth need to have the fillings redone and checked for fractures. A fractured tooth needs a crown m, not a filling and if this is not treated correctly you could loose the tooth.
I hope this helps.
Dr Chris

Dear Dr Chris, I have two deep fillings with composite, I went for check up last week and my doctor made me so anxious since she told me you should wait until these two teeths require root canal sincd shrinkage will happen, I have these two filled teeth with composite for more than 6 years. I asked my doctor to replace them,however she siad, if I want to replace them, it is likey thar they require root canal,therefore, it is better not to do anything.would you please tell me what should I do now, i am so concerned about having root canal in the near future.I dont want to loose my teeth at all

Hello Saba,

First of all I am sorry your dentist made you anxious…that is terrible. Removing fillings does not usually result in the need for a root canal! If shrinkage is a concern (due to the size of the fillings), you can build the fillings up a little at a time or use gold or porcelain. There are many solutions but none should make you anxious! Maybe you need a new, less anxious dentist 🙂

Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dear Saba. Why would your dentist recommend they be replaced in the first place? If they are not leaking then leave them alone. If they are large and have decay then consider an onlay or a crown. Your dentist should give you options, not anxiety!
Cheers,
Dr Chris

I went to the dentist with very little pain he looked at an old X-ray and said he had missed that I needed 3 fillings I had them done ( one white ) 2 days later I was back in a lot of pain 2 of the fillings where removed and temporary filling where put in another 2 days later I was back in more pain he pulled out my back tooth and then 2 days later I was back to see him again he said I had an infection 3 days of antibiotics I was still in a lot of pain I went back and he’s refilled my other tooth … I’m now having to go back as that tooth is still hurting me so is the white filling and I still have pain from him taking my tooth out 3 weeks ago .. I’m really feeling like I don’t want to go back to him but can’t stand the pain many thanks mandy

I am sorry for all your trouble Mandy. Dentistry is quite involved but most importantly you need to “trust” your dentist…Once trust is lost you need to switch. Your situation has many variables so I am not able to give you specific answers and hope you find a dentist you trust.

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Dear Mandy. With all the trouble you are having I strongly suggest you get a second opinion! This is a lot of issue at one time…
Cheers,
Dr Chris

Hi Dr. Chris
Two months ago,I went to a doctor to restore my carious molars with composite resin. He said the cavities were shallow. My teeth ached soon after. The restoration height was proper. I had no problems with occlusion. I was on anti-inflammatory drug for 5 days but pain was back soon after. I went back to the doctor who replaced the restoration with a temporary one, and said to be back when pain goes away but it isn’t. At first, it was associated with cold but now with biting, and at times spontaneous and lingering. The doctor didn’t use air-water coolant. I’m worried my teeth pulp is irreversibly damaged.

If the doctor did not use cooling then the pulp can be damaged. Did he use anesthetic? If not then you would most likely have felt pain way before damaging the tooth but if you were numb then you would not be able to tell if the temperature was too high…
So you are right, it may he irreversible pulpitis but it could also be a fracture (which is difficult to diagnose). A sedative filling was the right choice by the dentist so it looks like he does know what to do. You may want to check for fractures with your dentist.
I hope this helps…
Dr. Chris

Dear Yomnaallam. Without water or air a tooth can hear up and be damaged so yes, it is possible that the nerve was damaged. You need to find a more modern dentist ASAP!
Keep smiling,
Dr Chris

Hi Dr. Chris,
Last month, a new dentist gave me two fillings on my back bottom molars (#31&#32). The drilling hurt a bit even with anesthesia, but all ended up okay, until about two weeks ago, when a dull throbbing pain began on one of my front bottom teeth (two away from my right canine, #25 I believe). The pain is so persistent now that I am taking about 6-8 ibuprofen a day. Other teeth near my throbbing tooth are starting to feel an achey pain, and are a bit sensitive to cold water. Last week when I went to my dentist, she thought this was all residual pain from the filling, and that it would go away. I went to the dentist again yesterday because the pain now wakes me up at night, and she thinks the front tooth is dead and wants to do a root canal, though nothing came up on my xrays.

Is this the best option? I’m worried that the surrounding front teeth are now starting to hurt as well.

Thanks for your time!
Meg

Hello Meg,

Throbbing pain, especially at night, is nearly 100% diagnostic for a dying/dead root. The question is “why” did it die…The only treatment option is a root canal therapy (or extraction).

I hope this helps,

Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,

I had four composite fillings placed this morning. Now that the anesthetic has worn off I have intense jolting sensitivity to touch and negative pressure in one of the teeth. Temperature extremes don’t seem to bother it. It’s tooth 31 and it was a deep filling. No prior work had been done to the tooth. Is such a jolting sensitivity normal for a period of time?

Hello Tom,

Jolting pain is never “normal” 🙂 The only way you can feel jolting pain is if something is bothering your nerve inside the tooth…you need to discuss this with your dentist! Since it only happened to one of the teeth I am sure your dentist can help with it. Most likely a large filling that was bulk filled in my opinion.

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

I just got a filling on Monday. Today is Tuesday. It was a deep filling and there is a dull ache/pain. I have little to no sensitivity to cold and none to hot. I can feel the filling with my tongue where I never could with any other fillings. It doesn’t hurt to chew though. It actually feels normal when im chewing. Is there anything I can do? The day after my filling it did not hurt at all but then a dull ache came so what now?

Hello Becca,

Has the dull ache gone away? Since you just had the filling I would give it a little time since the bite feels normal and it is not sensitive. The fact that you can feel the filling with your tongue is interesting…I would need more info on this to comment.
IF the dull ache is still there then you may have a root problem and need to see your dentist again…sorry.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Hello,
I had two composite fillings a month ago. I went back twice for high bite adjustments. The second one helped to a while but it has started to feel sore again. The pain seems to affect the teeth in front of the molars that had cavities. It is sensitive to hot and cold but not biting. What could be wrong? I’m a nervous wreck about a root canal.

Hello Mac,

The bite may be correct now but if you are still having sensitivity that was not there before I would look at possibly a cuspal flex issue or a poor bond. Sensitivity could also take a few months to go away…The only way I know how to solve this is to first try to seal the restoration again (etch and seal) or redo it….
I hope this helps.
Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris,
About a week ago I had an older silver filling replaced at the recommendation of my dentist in #19. I’m now experiencing intermittent intense pain. I’ve read a number of similar posts on this website but am having what appears to be a different experience and received a different answer from my dentist and am hoping you can offer some advice. First, my pain is initiated somewhat randomly, sometimes from opening my mouth, sometimes while talking, sometimes while eating, sometimes while moving my tongue around in my mouth or pursing my lip. It does not happen every time in the mentioned examples and I cannot identify anything else specific that might trigger. I do not have sensitivity to temperature or pressure.

The pain is sever and massive enough it has brought me to my knees. The pain is also severe enough that I can’t tell where it’s coming from, it radiates the entire side of my face and lasts a few seconds. I’ve noticed the pain mostly from the back of my mouth and my jawline as well as up near the sideburn/ear. I’ve returned to my dentist explaining this issue and he took X-rays. He saw no issues in the X-ray and offered a possible solution that is related to a near tooth (#22) that my gum are receding and exposing an area of the tooth unprotected by enamel and more easily irritated. He had me switch to Sensodyne toothpaste, take Motrin, and reduce the setting on my Sonic toothbrush to “sensitive,” stop brushing at the gumline, or possibly switch to a manual brush.

Thank you in advance for any advice or recommendations you might have and thank you for offering to help!
Greg

Hello Greg,

Dental pain is often elusive…You mentioned the pain “began” after the filling was replaced? If you had no pain before then I would focus on that tooth. When replacing old amalgam fillings there is quite a bit of damage that is done to the tooth. Your differential diagnosis for me would be a fracture (cusp most likely), poor bond, or void in the filling. Depending on the size of the filling I would replace it with a sedative filling such as Fuji 9 or temporize with a cuspal coverage restoration such as an onlay if cracks are present. An x-ray shows issues with the root which can take some time to materialize…

I hope this helps!

Keep Smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hi Dr Chris. Can’t Thank u enough for responding to all of us. I have heard u talk about pain due to fractures but my question is, what could be causing pain after having a fracture fixed with a white filling. I already had a silver filling on that tooth that was at least probably 10/20 yes old. The filling doesn’t seem to high but I’m feeling awful pain when I breath in on that side and can’t chew at that side at all due to the pain wjich feels like a needle being stuck into the nerve. When I’m not doing anything,the pain is just slight. The dentist said to wait til next week but I was told by another dentist that I needed a crown and this dentist said there was no need for it. What do u think? Am I just out the $300 I paid even though he may have made a mistake? Thanks so much for responding. Sincerely Pamela r

Dear Pamela,

So fractures cannot be fixed by a “filling” as they will continue to wedge the tooth apart. The dentist that said a crown would be appropriate is right. A crown goes all the way around the tooth and holds it together!
So, don’t wait, get it fixed before it is too late!
you did not waste your money as a “core” would have been necessary anyhow and that is what you have now 🙂

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hi Dr . Chris! I just wanted to Thank You so much for answering my question and everyone else’s . your so kind to try to help us even though were unfortunately not your patients. God Bless. ?. Pamela R

Hello Dr.Chris,

I’d like to first apologize if I am posting this question in the wrong place.

I’ll try to keep my story as short as I can.
One of my top molar teeth has a deep amalgam filling, which was filled about 10 years ago. Recently, a small piece of the tooth chipped off and I noticed some small decay. I remember biting on something hard (by accident) a while back and it must have fractured the tooth and eventually developed decay. The decay was along the margin of where my natural tooth and amalgam filling met. It was determined by my dentist that the amalgam filling is “still good”, and rather excavate the entire filling and possibly “disturb the sleeping giant”, AKA the pulp, he decided to clean/remove the small decay and fill it with composite filling (he does not use amalgam filling). The filling he placed extends over to the amalgam side just a bit, and the gap/margin between the two types of filling is covered/capped with composite filling.
My question is, is it normal to use composite filling on amalgam fillings? I am super concerned about micro-leakage between the margin of the two fillings, even though it was “capped”.

Dear Henry,

Good question! So, first of all, your dentist is right that often removing large fillings can irritate the pulp, but, leaving the amalgam that is failing is not solving the problem, in my opinion. I am not a fan of amalgam and carefully remove them when they are failing. When they are removed I usually find fractures in the tooth that would have spread and cracked the tooth! So, in my opinion, I would remove the old beast and fix the tooth rather than patch it.
Secondly, no, composite does not bond to amalgam so it will leak.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Hello Dr. Chris,
Question for you on material appropriate for larger areas…. I have some cavities that need to be filled and doing some research. You mention in your blog that resins work well when the spot to be filled is less than 1/3 of the distance between cusps. What do you use if the area is more? My decay is along the gumline and a “thin” line in width, but the dentist said the decay is “deep”. What you are saying about the resins expanding and contracting makes sense in that it is not ideal if over large area…. what would you recommend for my situation? I have a pictures and also x-rays.

I so wish I was closer to you! I live in SC. Would even consider traveling, but I am not sure I have enough time and need to get this filling done soon. Hoping to avoid a crown (she said she won’t know until she is “in” there). You are doing wonderful work and spreading important information. THANK YOU!

Thank you Alison 🙂

For the gumline restoration composite resin works well. IF you are unable to clean the area or if the decay is deep onto the root surface I usually recommend a glass ionomer material such as Fuji 9. No crown 🙂

Have a super day,

Dr. Chris

Thank YOU. I am recovering chronic fatigue and have chemical sensitivities. I am probably going to do the biocompatibility testing to help me find the best resin for me. I read a bit about glass ionomers as I think in general they are more biocompatible?

Since I do know the dentist described the decay as “deep” would you consider Fuji 9 pretty biocompatible?

OH! And I don’t want a crown either. How would I gauge the necessity to have one or if my dentist is just a “crown pusher”? The fact that she mentioned that I may have to get one and she won’t know until she is in there leads me to believe she uses them liberally.

I had a filling ( was told it was small) done approx 4 weeks ago, I started to notice some slight issues when eating anything crunchy, so I did go back and they adjusted the filling, which helped a little, but the pain I continue to have is in middle of tooth and now I cant eat anything on that side of the mouth. I went to get a 2nd opinion and had the tooth x-rayed. The 2nd dentist said the tooth was good and that I needed to give it more time….but how much more time should this really need? I can’t chew anything on the left side now without it hurting. Is there anything else I can do? I’ve never had anything like this from a simple filling

Dear Whitney,

I am sorry you had a second opinion and no solution…I would be concerned about a fracture which would not get better. If the bite adjustment did not work then the dentist needs to redo or check for fractures!

I hope this gets resolved soon,

Dr. Chris

Hi Dr Chris
At first, I have to thank you in advance to advise about all those patients! really it’s a great work. I have got a composite filling class IV in my upper canine after strong pain, two days ago. I have been told that this pain is gonna decrease by time. currently, I am still suffering and taking pain killers! the real problem is I have a pain in many places not included that filled canine! Is it normal after filling to have pain in different locations?

Dear Ahmed,
I don’t usually have pain after placing white fillings…that is a concern that needs to be addressed. Pain can mean many things, all which require the dentist to take a look and fix it.
Since you are feeling the discomfort in other areas as well that means it could be a root problem as well now.
If your dentist is not able to help, please see a second dentist!

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris

Hi Dr Chris

Last night I started experiencing a dull constant but bearable pain in the back of my right jaw top and bottom and I thought that it was because of the cavities I needed to get filled with composites. When I went to my dentist appointment I told my dentist about the pain and he said that there was nothing wrong with the top of my right jaw that he could see in the X Rays.

He guessed it was an old large filling at the bottom right corner of my jaw that was causing the sensation. but he was unable to say it beyond a reasonable doubt that it was that area that was causing me the discomfort.
He told me to wait and if the pain got worst I would need a root canal. This worries me because he isnt able to identify where the pain is coming from, yet he insist that is my only option.

Can an old large composite filling do this and is there any way?

Since the pain is not unbearable is root canal my only option?

Is it possible that the pain may go away Its only been less than 24 hours.

Help!!

Dear Ruth,

I am not a fan of “waiting and seeing” what will happen as in dentistry it usually will get worse!
Old restorations, bite problems, etc. can all cause this issue and I would not “wait”.
X-rays do not show everything. They do not show fractures, bite problems, bond failures etc.
If it is a fracture then you will need full coverage – a crown or onlay, to hold the tooth together.
I would check the bite, adjust the bite, fix any decay or fractures and then think about root canal therapy as a last resort.

I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

I had a metal filling replaced in July 2015 right before deploying overseas, I was back in the US on a short visit in December and had to have the filling redone because of extreme pain, sensitivity, and couldn’t chew anything on that side. In February, again I had to have the filling adjusted because the bite was not right (now using a foreign dentist), the pain diminished but the tooth is still extremely sensitive to chewing and cold. He also filled another tooth that had a cavity on the edge of another metal filling which he removed and replaced with this white filling. Now, both sides of my mouth are bothering me, the new filling throbs, the first filling that has been fixed several times has sharp stabbing pain with cold or sometimes when chewing. Also the filling doesn’t “feel” right (it makes the tooth feel flat on the top), it feels as though something is stuck in my tooth so I am constantly picking at it with my tongue and have been grinding my teeth to try to get rid of it. I never had a problem with the metal filling that was replaced and this has gotten to the point that I am worried I am going to have to get the tooth pulled. One dentist has told me that I may have a sensitivity to this type of filling because it has irritated the tooth so badly, another has said it could take another year for it to truly calm down, another has said that I should just get a root canal (I have had one of those before and don’t want another!) The irritation, sensitivity and pain are becoming intolerable and getting conflicting opinions are only causing me more distress. Any advice?

Dear Tracy,

It does sound like you have had the runaround, sorry. Seeing so many different dentists makes it difficult to isolate any problems…what I would recommend is to fix one area and wait till it feels good until moving on to another tooth.
I have not seen anyone with a sensitivity to white filling material in 20 years so I don’t believe that this is the problem. IF the pain persists then it could lead to the tooth dying and the need for root canal treatments.
I am not sure what type of dentist you have seen but getting a new patient exam and consultation from a top, non-insurance dentist, would be the most important thing in my opinion. This should cost no more than $250 and save you a lot of uncertainty!

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

A day ago I had two broken teeth “restored” with white composit material. They shaped the teeth to their original look. One feels fine but the other hurts to no end. It’s a terrible sharp throbbing pressure. Today I had to get it filed down more but still no relief. What should I do? ?

Dear Samantha,

There are so many variables associated with your problem…the blog post above does address the possible reasons such as a fracture, polymerization shrinkage and poor bonding, all of which could be the problem…
Since one is ok and the other is painful it does make it more difficult to diagnose. This is something your dentist will need to work on or the tooth will need a root canal (throbbing pain is related to dying pulps). So, don’t wait, get it checked for fractures and see if the filling possibly was very deep and the tooth just gave up…which would be sad.
Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris:
I recently had 2 teeth fixed ( lower molars) one had a broken composite filling that was replaced — no issues. The tooth in front of it was damaged from a cherry pit — pain had subsided after about 3 days of damaging the tooth — it was about 2 1/2 wks. before I could get an apt to get both teeth fixed. Both were fixed at the same time. The tooth that was damaged has been sensitive to touch ever since the repair. Touch not pressure. My bite was adjusted twice NC and it helped a bit. However the tooth is still sensitive to being touched in the middle of the top surface. Very soft food is tolerated unless something firm contacts the middle of the tooth, then it is very painful. No throbbing no pain at night. I have never had a composite filling that has acted this way. It is now about 3 weeks after the repair and the tooth is very sensitive to being touched in the center of the top surface. Any suggestions?

Dear Steve,

It does sound like it may be fractured. Fractures are very hard to see/diagnose but the history you present is very clear. I would strongly consider an onlay or a crown to prevent the tooth from fracturing.

If you were my patient I would remove the filling and take a magnified look at all the inside surfaces, looking for hairline fractures – this should be your next step.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

Dear Dr. Chris,
Thanks a lot for taking your time answer questions. I have two teeth bothering me: first lower left molar (1LLM) and second lower right molar (2LRM). 1LLM had a medium sized amalgam for more than 25 years. Six years ago, I wanted it to be replaced and my dentist drilled out the amalgam, analyzed thoroughly for any fractures and didn’t find any, and then placed a white filling. It has served me perfect, but now this tooth has become very sensitive for hot and cold and it aches – typically when laying down, worst during the night, not throbbing but constant aching.
2LRM has never had amalgams but white fillings for about 20 years since it erupted. It started with a small filling but there has been tiny recurring cavities in this tooth very often – stopped counting after five – often explained by small gaps round the filling. I have never had pain from that tooth. Last time I had it filled was five years ago, where the tooth and the present white filling was done – don’t know if it is many small fillings or one large and if so, how large. My bite was checked and the filling and tooth shaped a little lower than the other teeth so it is not taking the same tough chewing pressure as the other teeth. The filling has served me very good in these last five years, but now the tooth has started hurting, mostly in short intensive jags / jolting when it is toughed. Now that these two teeth hurt, it is very difficult eating anything so I visited my dentist – she didn’t see anything obviously wrong neither on the x-ray, but she replaced the filling in 1LLM and polished (reshaped) 2LRM once again to lower the pressure. Once the numbness wore off the pain continued in both teeth. Would you please tell me what can be wrong in these two teeth and what can be done to relief me from the pain.

Dear Flemming,

It sounds like a pretty clear fracture scenario. Teeth take a lot of abuse and dental amalgam pretty much cracks teeth all the time. You can’t often see fractures. The symptoms of the tooth that is aching sounds like a root canal problem…
Both teeth should have full coverage or onlay/crown restorations to help with the fractures. A fracture is often hard to treat and results will vary. The sooner you treat a fracture the better!

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

dr chris

i had a composite filling done on a front tooth. The cavity was sort of in between the two front tooth so i suspect it was difficult to drill and fill.

Afterwards it was aching and painful and sensitive. It was especially sensitive when flossing. When the tape passes the middle of the filling it is sensitive. The pain was pretty constant. After 10 days the pain has diminished and is not as constant but at times it comes back. It is also sensitive to percussion.

what is going on?

How do we differentiate between a failure which was inevitable and one which was avoidable and caused by the dentist?

I am very angry about this. It was supposed to be a routine filling. Most fillings dont immediately require a root canal afterwards to fix the pain. So why has this happened?

could it also be that while drilling, some of the surrounding tooth enamel is drilled off and not covered by the filling material so these uncovered areas become sensitive?

Dear Jim.
I can see how this is frustrating…sorry.
My thoughts are that since it hurts when floss passes by it that the it may be leaking or have a poor bond. This can happen to anyone and most dentists would of course look at it and correct it. This would entail redoing it often.
Unless this was a super deep filling I would not expect you would need a root canal, but, the general rule is not to let this go on too long…we are in the service business and until you are happy we are here to help 🙂
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dr Chris,
I had 7-8 composite filling put in in 5-6 month span- I have had problems in all of the composite’s- I have had 2 tooth exacted after failed root canal..presently 2 other teeth that had root canal’s still hurt and 2 more on other side of my mouth are tight and sore. My dentists , based on x-rays , tell me the pain should go away. I think the worst of these teeth is fractured or something and this pain just is not going away as there is no ever minimal improvement after 3 months (from the root canal). I take about 400 mg of ibuprofen about mid day and that usually gets me at a min pain level. These composites were put in May 2015. I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you

Dear Jim,
I am sorry to hear that you have had so much trouble…that is a long time to go with pain.
If the composite fillings replaced large old amalgams then it is likely that the teeth had fractures. These fractures often require cuspal coverage (such as a crown or onlay). If a simple composite is placed it will make the situation worse and even a root canal will not solve that problem.
Simply put, with all the trouble you had I feel you need a second opinion…there are just too many issues.
I hope this helps.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris

Hello Dr Chris,

I had three fillings done about three months ago, and have been in pain ever since. I had tried a new Dentist close to my house because my other Dentist had retired. After going back to this dentist twice for follow up appointments due to the pain, I decided to try another Dentist recommended by a family mbr. He took X-Rays, checked my teeth and said that they were poorly bonded, showed me a rather large spot that he informed me could only be an air pocket or decay, several chipped places and advised me that I should probably have all three redone. Any thoughts?

Dear Matthew. If you received a second opinion on your painful fillings and the new dentist was able to give you some good reasons to why the work was poor then you probably would be best of getting the work redone in my opinion.

I hope the next time it feels better!

Sincerely,

Dr Chris

Dear Dr Chris
My denist recently retired. A new dentist took over saying I need my silver fillings replaced. They are upper and lower. Even though I had no pain. So I agreed. Well now its close a week and I have severe pain and my jaw and ear just ache! They want to do two more on other side. I’m upset as I had no pain, now I’m suffering. Would antibiotics help to calm this dow. Should I give it more time..; Im near crazy. Thank you.

Dear Pat. This is very common…old amalgam fillings always crack teeth and it is critical to remove them carefully and check for fractures. If there are fractures present then you will need a full coverage restoration to hold the tooth together (onlay or crown).
Also, often dentists place super large composites. This does not work and also causes tooth flexure and pain.
Lastly, don’t do anything else until the current work feels better or has been fixed!

Hi
I had tooth restoration process , my filling just get of in 24 hours leaving only the tiniest of frame what happens next

Dear Harsha,

I believe you have a “crown” preparation if I am correct. Next the laboratory will fabricate a cap that fits over your tooth. This usually takes 2-3 weeks at which point the dentist will place the cap onto your tooth 🙂 That is the simple answer…I hope this helps.

Hello Dr. Chris,

I just had my first filling three months ago. I had a pit on my back molar that was filled with a white composite. I felt sensitivity for about 2 weeks after the filling and then my tooth felt great. Now almost three months later I have sharp piercing pain in that tooth occasionally as I chew. It has occurred within the last week. It only happens when I chew and not all the time. I went back to the dentist who said the filling was fine, that the filling was incredibly small, and nowhere near the pulp. He said that there is sometimes sensitivity with composite fillings and is recommending I get a silver. He said if that didn’t help then I might end up with a root canal. He gave me a prescription in case of infection, which I have not filled yet. Does all this sound right? My tooth did not bother me at all before the filling and in my thoughts it was just a stained pit. Since dentists kept pointing it out I finally said to just fill it. I never imagined I could end up with a root canal. Any recommendations?

No root canal! Ridiculous. Also, no Mercury filling, just as ridiculous. The filling most likely is high or/and the tooth cracked. Since it felt fine and then began hurting it sounds more like a crack. I would get a second opinion before proceeding!

I had some fillings done and now i can’t chew on that side. I dindt have pain before the fillings. I went back to the dentist and she said it was ok that the pain would go away that it was. Normal for white filling to feel like that at first that my theeth just need to adjust. It’s been 3 weeks and I can’t eat anything on my left side. What should I do.

Dear Lupe. Slightly sensitivity may be normal. It not pain. When your teeth come together they should feel normal. If it feels like you are biting on a little piece of sand then the filling is not adjusted correctly and you could kill the tooth. Secondly, white fillings need to be bonded correctly (read the blog post on this in my blog) and many errors can happen. Any one of those errors could cause pain and the need to redo the filling or pick a different material (just not amalgam).
So, it has been 3 weeks and I would expect any sensitivity to have gone away. If your dentist is not willing to fix this then you need a second opinion quickly before this turns into the. Exit step that dentists who cannot solve this issue always go to – a crown and then a root canal.
I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

I had 6 amalgam fillings replaced with composite fillings a month ago and have been in severe pain since then. I have been living on ibuprofen and unable to chew. The pain wakes me through the night. I have contacted the dentist and he told me to wait it out and gave me a prescription for prednisone. After I complained about 3 weeks out, he said he could replace them with sedative fillings. I can’t help but think something is very wrong, severe pain like this is not normal. I’m scared to go to yet another dentist and get no improvement. Is there a dentist in my area you would recommend? I live in the Lexington, Ky area. Thanks.

Wow, prednisone…you need a new dentist. You are in luck! Fred Arnold is an exceptional dentist and he is in your area! Tell him I sent you, he will help you, he really is one of the absolute best.

I had 3 small tiny cavities on my top teeth so I had them filled all at once (white fillings), remind you no problems before I went to dentist, 2 weeks went by in pain I had take ibuprofen every 4 hours and def could not eat on that side so went back in to see if bite was wrong, he adjusted and only got worse. I made another apt because the pain got worse and he drilled out old ones and put in 2 more that were hurting the most. They are about 50% better than first fillings I had but its been 2 weeks and still don’t chew on that side and very sensitive. He said next step was root canal but the fillings are so small not even close to the root so should I just wait it out longer or seek another opinion??

Second opinion!!!! Do not get a root canal yet. That is the “I have no idea what is going on” solution. It has to be either a poor filling technique or fracture of the tooth in my opinion. Poor technique requires new dentist and fracture requires onlay or crown before it is too late.
When I take out old silver mercury fillings I inform all my patients that fractures due to the expansion of this wonderful material (being sarcastic) often result in the need of cuspal coverage with an onlay or a crown to hold the tooth together. I hope you find a dentist that can help you correctly!

Dr.Chris,
I live in the Las Vegas area and I got 5 of old mercury fillings replaced 2 months ago with amalgam and I have had pain ever since. Like others I have been taking too much advil and I am really frustrated. I have went back to the dentist three times and I have a new small fracture on the gum line to add to the pain. He said it was too small and they usually leave them alone, but it really hurts with hot and cold. I don’t want to go back to my dentist but I don’t want to make it worse either by someone else. Any advice or do you know a dentist here?

Sounds like you need some good advice. The only accredited cosmetic dentist in Las Vegas is Dr. VreNon, I would see him. His number is 702-869-0032. I wish you all the best

I just had my silver fillings removed and replaced with the white fillings. I feel a throbbing pain right after the numbing went away. And it’s only been some hours before I came and found this site. My doctor didn’t warn me of anything. I asked him to replace the filling and he said yes. Should I give it a couple days for the pain to go away?

Hello Keiara. There are so many things that could be going on as per the blog post above that you read. Yes, give it a day or two and then see how it feels. It could be normal or one of many bad things so let’s hope it is normal 🙂

for all the patient who ask about the pain after composite filling .you must know the filling contain phosphoric acid in its component which cause irritating for the pulp especially when the dentist dont put calcium hydroxide under it.

Dear Khaled, the filling does not have phosphoric acid in it. We use phosphoric acid to prepare the tooth before placing the filling. Calcium hydroxide works as a thin base if we are close to the pulp of the tooth but reduces the bond and turns to mush after a while. The phosphoric acid does not cause pain if used correctly.

Dear dr. Chris,

I had a white composite filling done 4 weeks ago. After the filling, I noticed the dentist left a large space in between my 2nd and 3rd molar. I didn’t think much of it. But after the 1st week I began to feel pain upon cold, hot, chewing on the tooth. Also the gap I had noticed between my teeth is gone. My 2nd tooth ( the one that got the filling) has moved closer to the 3rd molar. Also the weirdest part is that it hurts to floss in between my 2nd and 3rd molar only, which is where the filling was done. It doesn’t hurt in the front of the tooth to floss between the 1st and the 2nd. I went to my dentist… and he adjusted it a little and said if it doesn’t get better I need to see an Endo. It’s been three weeks since that and the cold and hot sensitivity has gone away but it still hurts to chew and floss. HELP. I don’t believe I need a root canal. 🙁

Dear Chloe,

It sounds to me like a filling problem not a root canal problem. The absolute last and even then bad option is a root canal. If there was a gap between the teeth when the filling was placed I would venture to guess that the quality of the filling is poor and it should be redone by a good dentist. Sorry to be so blunt but I am frustrated by dentists that simple point patients to endodontists to solve their poor filling issues. That is not looking our for the patients best interest. A root canal is never a good option for the body.
I would get a second opinion and have the filling redone prior to even considering a root canal.

Both amalgam and composite fillings can leak. An amalgam filling sometimes leaks slightly after it is placed. You would notice this as sensitivity to cold. This sensitivity decreases for the next two to three weeks. Then it disappears altogether. Over that period, the amalgam filling naturally corrodes. The corrosion seals the edges of the filling and stops any leaks.

Dear “My Dental Care” marketing website,

Thank you for your comment. Sorry I had to remove your spam link but I will be happy to respond to your comment!

First, yes, everything we can do as dentists will leak. That being said, composite fillings leak more when placed incorrectly and amalgam (silver mercury) fillings leak all the time. Yes, the corrosion of the amalgam slowly fills in the gaps that the contraction and expansion causes. What a wonderful material – who would not want something in their mouth that “corrodes”?

Secondly, fillings that contain 50% mercury which is proven to be vaporized into the mouth just my chewing alone would never be approved today – as a matter of fact I believe anyone proposing such a filling would be thrown out into the street. Yet still most dentists place these fillings that can only leave a dental office in two ways – in the patients mouth or in a hazardous material bag. Makes you think right?
Lastly, maybe since most European nations and Canada have banned the use of this toxic material, maybe the USA needs to put the patients first for change.
Just my opinion.

I don’t know if my comment before this one was published, so I’m gonna see if this one publishes, sorry

I see this one Erin but nothing before. What is your question?

Okay I think I’m having issues commenting… I’m sorry if I’m spamming the comments section but ugh. I originally posted that I have four fillings done in a row all next to each other about 3 months ago and I am experiencing pain in 1 or 2 of the teeth intermittently. I went back to my dentist who took x rays and said it looked fine and I should come back if the pain gets worse or it wakes me up at night, because then I’ll need to get a root canal, and if not then it should go away on its own. I guess I should get a second opinion, but does anyone know what the problem could be and if I really need to get a root canal? I don’t want to get a root canal… Thank you

Ok Eric, got it now. Ask as many questions as you like!
I for one do not like to “wait” until something goes so wrong that you “need” a root canal. That is ridiculous.
Often when old silver mercury fillings are replaced the tooth has so many fractures in it that it needs a full coverage restoration like a crown. Silver mercury filings in my opinion are the worst thing for teeth but great for dentists as we get lots of future work from placing them. Now if you did not have these fillings before then it is more likely that the white filling is placed wrong as mentioned in this article. Yes, a second opinion is always best but how do you know who to see? That is the challenge. The only way I know to answer this is to see a dentist that takes his/her career so serious that they lecture or have achieved a significantly higher level of education such as being AACD accredited. They pride themselves in their work and know what they are doing. Unfortunately you are looking at a small fraction of dentists out there so the next best thing is to find a dentist that does not, I repeat, does not accept any insurance in network. Once you sell your soul to the insurance companies in hopes of getting more patients you have lost the quality game. A dentist has to work twice as fast and hard to earn a living working for insurance companies by accepting their payments and rules that come with them. Avoid that trap.
I hope that helps.

Dear Dr. Chris,

I had a composite filling done on my left back molar at the beginning of last month. Exactly 4 weeks later, I experienced a sharp pain any time I drink something cold. I’m scared to eat anything on my left side and I have to drink through a straw in order to avoid the pain. I went to the dentist and he as me on desensitizing tooth paste. It been almost two weeks and I still fill pain on my left side when drinking. I have had two molar extractions on my left side so there is a big space there. My dentist said he doesn’t see any cavities. What do you think could be wrong? I wasn’t in pain before receiving the fillings and I could eat and drink normally and now I can’t.

Dear Laney, it sounds like there are several different problems that could be occurring. First, I do not know how large the filling is and if it replaced an old amalgam or not. Regardless, sharp pain to cold is not going to get better with desensitizing toothpaste. Most likely the filling was not bonded correctly, too big or the tooth has a fracture in it. None of these situations should be watched as it will only get worse. I suggest your dentist take a look at these options and gives you some real options…

Dear Dr. Chris,
I had a composite filling done on my front tooth, right side, for about 4 years now. Since then I experienced toothache whenever I drink cold drinks and I can’t bite right under the filled tooth because it causes too much pain. And after the first year of my filling, my gums right above where the filling was done swelled and I looked like Donald Duck. So I went to my dentist to remove the swelling, she just injected the swelling to create a hole to remove the swelling. It was successful but up till now I still experience pain whenever I bite the filled tooth, I can now drink cold drinks but I still feel random toothache even without biting it. I looked at a mirror and discovered that there’s still a small swelling in my gums above the swelling I guess it was the residue of that incident but why is that?

Dear Joanna, this tooth needs to be looked at. Your dentist needs to take an x-ray and come up with a reason quickly. You should not have to put up with this for a year. Simply releasing the swelling does not solve the problem! Go have it fixed by someone that takes the time to find the reason behind the issue!

I’ll appreciate your help Dr Chris, thank you.

I had a small cavity and my doc suggest me to have a filling so that it doesn’t extends further. But after a year I began to feel pain upon cold, hot and it also hurts to floss in between my 2nd and 3rd molar, where the filling was done. I again went to my dentist but it doesn’t get better. Now it has been more than a month and things are not going well. Now my dentists suggest me to have a RCT. Should I go with it or not. Does it going to help me.. Plzzz Help me.

Dear Alex. A year is a long time and a lot of things can happen. A new cavity can creep up quickly. Diet (eating and drinking acid and sugar) quickly can create new cavities. The extend of the cavity can vary dramatically so it could certainly be possible that it is so big that a dentist would recommend a root canal.

I am more concerned about the fact that you may need a root canal treatment after 1 year of. It seeing a dentist. If the dentist is a good dentist then you have a significant problem with diet…

I hope this helps.

I recently received four resin fillings. This was the first time I have ever received such a treatment and I am unsure of how the healing process works. I was told by the dental assistant that I would be pain free and able to eat without any problems. After the numbing agents wore off, I was in pain and could not chew anything. The four fillings were placed in my back teeth: one on the upper back tooth, one on the lower back tooth, and two on the two lower back teeth. There is typically no pain unless I try to chew food. Salad causes a lot of pain throughout my mouth. I have to take Motrin and Tylenol every six hours now to keep the pain in check. I went back to see my dentist about five days after the procedure and he told me this was a typical response to this type of filling. He told me to get a hold of him if I still have pain in a month. I guess what I don’t understand is that I did not have any pain before. He told me that the issue was superficial when he looked at my teeth during my cleaning. Maybe I am just being hypersensitive since this is my first time but I am extremely paranoid when it comes to the health and care of my teeth. When the pain begins, it is just annoying more than anything. However, it will grow to a throbbing sensation throughout my mouth and eventually give me a headache if I do not take my pills in time. Any advise and/or insight would be greatly appreciated!

Dear Sarah!
I am more than frustrated to hear a dentist say “this is normal”. It is not and the fact the many dentists (just read all the comments on the blog) blow off patients concerns either due to ignorance or to avoid wasting time on them is anything but health care. A well educated dentist should be able to come up with a myriad of problems that need to be addressed or you will end up with a dead tooth (root canal treatment or worse). Maybe that is the goal? Not sure. Ridiculous.
The blog post is very detailed on the possible issues that caused your problem and the first thing every dentist needs to do is check how the teeth come together. Side note – did the dentist or the assistant do the fillings?
So, no, it’s not normal and taking medication due to pain after white fillings is not acceptable. Tooth damage progresses – first sensitivity to cold, then lingering pain to cold, then sensitivity to hot (tooth is beginning to die here) and then aching or throbbing (now the tooth is dead). Some dentists I suppose like to wait until it gets to the last stage only to inform the patient they now need a root canal ($$$) and that this is normal due to [fill in the blank excuse]. Most patients buy this and the dentist is not bothered and makes more money. Frustrates me to no end.
If your dentist blows you off, get a dentist that cares and is still in the business to help and serve.

I had a filling that fell out and had it replaced last week. The first week after the filling I felt no pain. A week later I have a mild toothache on that tooth. I have been using desensitizing toothpaste, advil, and orajel to get rid of the pain. And have recently set up a follow up with the dentist. I can slightly feel the filling when i bite down and it makes the opposite row of teeth a little sore..Any suggestions as to what might be the issue?

You simply need a bite adjustment which is quick and simple. You have a follow up to do just that so you will be fine. The sooner the better or the tooth can die.

I hope you can help shed some light on my situation. Back in March I was diagnosed with 10 cavities–between my teeth. Keep in mind that I go to the dentist every 6 months. Never had a cavity like this in 40 yrs. The fillings I received the previous year had decay in them again in a matter of months. I chose a new dentist and I chose white fillings. My upper teeth (1st and 2nd molars) are now hollowed out like a ditch. My cusps were chopped down. In other words, the natural anatomy of my teeth in three upper are now gone. My teeth are sharp and jagged and haven’t felt like natural teeth since. My bite is off also. Having X-rays taken, it revealed what sloppy work and overhangs were left. I always feel like something is trapped between my teeth….thinking it’s excess composite. I thought thst white filling were supposed to conserve tooth structure but when I compare it to my silver fillings, the white actually took more away. They just feel like sharp thin unnatural teeth that have been hollowed out. What is the best solution for solving my issues? Finding an ethical dentist in the NOrth Carolina area has posed a challenge. I’d hate to think bad fillings are going to cause me to get crowns! When other dentists have looked at the work, they remarked it wasn’t good denistry and that there is a loss of anatomy in my upper teeth. When asked why it was removed, my dentist said “I had to get to the cavities.” That’s just not good enough for me. He mentioned adding some filling back since it feels like a ditch in my teeth. On top of that, I have two large fillings placed in my lower molars that had fractures in them. Another dentist said I needed crowns and the teeth is now greatly weakened and could see the fracture through the filling. This scares me. Any advice on logical steps to take to fix this dentists screw ups?

Dear Joy, it looks like you may have had fillings placed that weakened the tooth to a point where crowns/onlays may be needed. If the white filling is greater than 1/2 the distance between the cusp tips of the tooth then a stronger restoration is recommended. The tooth will flex and fractures (often created by old amalgams) will spread and break the tooth. Only covering the cusps and pulling the tooth together, then directing the chewing forces down the vertical axis of the tooth can prevent fractures then. So, crowns are only the most aggressive option out there. A good dentist will know what an onlay is and what the difference between a gold onlay, porcelain onlay and hybrid onlay means. If the dentist does not know this then you may want to find someone that does. More conservative options are always preferred and onlays are more conservative!

Thank you for your response, how long should it take for the pain to go away?

If the discomfort is to cold only it should get better after around 2 weeks. If it becomes “lingering” then it is getting worse. Same if it becomes heat sensitive. If it is chewing sensitive then you need to see your dentist now as that will get worse and can kill the tooth!

Two and a half weeks ago I had a crown and two fillings done (one of which was deep) on the lower right back three molars. Since, I have had a throbbing pain especially at night and slight sensitivity to hot and cold. I have been alternating Ibprofuen and Tylenol as recommended and it helps. I have gone back to the dentist twice. First he adjusted my bite. That didn’t help. He also prescribed an amoxicillan in case I was developing an infection of some type. The second time, he did a tap test, extreme cold test, xrays, and checked my bite again. Nothing felt off to me. He couldn’t get a conclusive diagnosis as I couldn’t pinpoint exactly which tooth it was. Today, I believe I have narrowed it down to the tooth with the deep filling. Is it possible it is just taking a while for the deep filling to heal? I’ve had this type of work done before and normally bounce right back. My dentist is great and I appreciate that he isn’t rushing into any unnecessary procedures to try to fix a problem he can’t see.

Hello Erin. Sounds like a clear case of a dying tooth. If the amoxicillin makes it feel better then you will most certainly need a root canal as the pain will return after about 2 weeks. Sorry. The root canal treatment will solve you issue.

Hi,
I had a filling done two weeks ago and I feel a throbbing sensation in my jaw. I called my dentist and the dentist prescribed some antibiotics and 800 mg Ibuprophen and it still throbs. Why is that?

Hello Johnnie, sounds clearly like a root problem. Antibiotics will mask the pain for about 2 weeks if it is a root issue. Ibuprofen will manage inflammation and pain for a limited time. Neither “solves” the issue and only prolong the problem. This is a very common practice and if not followed up with a root canal evaluation is futile. The tooth is in destress due to many reasons and the dentists needs to put his/her thinking cap on and actually come up with a solution, not a bandaid fix. If your dentist won’t see you to figure out the “reason” behind the problem then you will need a new “doctor”, not someone that just prescribes medication without finding the cause.

The technique for doing white composite fillings on back teeth is very demanding, and many general dentists aren’t properly trained to do this. The pain after a new filling could be because of improper technique.

Correct. White fillings are very technique sensitive. I have taught many dentists at lectures how to avoid the pitfalls but many errors are still made…it’s unfortunate.

I had a old mercury filling replaced. They used white composite never an issue for 2 months. 2 days ago super sensitive to hot and cold and pressure. What could it be? Thanks

Hello Lou. Since your problem is new after 2 months I would say it either is a fracture or decay. If the white filling replaced a large amalgam then it is highly likely that the tooth had fractures in it already. The general rule is that the white filling should be less than 1/3 the distance between the cusps. Most are much larger. If it is beginning to fracture then you would need a crown or onlay. Decay on the other hand would be at the edge of the white filling and a dentist should be able to determine that.

Hi Dr Chris,

I had a white filling a year ago in right back bottom tooth.
It was sore for 1 month then settled down. Then in month 3 it became sensitive to hot liquid especially if I swish / immerse the hot liquid around the tooth and the pain was sharp and painful and lingered so I avoided hot liquids and the ache eventually disappeared after over a month.

I miss my hot drinks so I tried again ( nearly a year later) and the hot liquid did not cause a sharp pain but I felt a lot of pressure / dull ache that lasts for a day or even a few days.
I had an X-ray and there is no sign of decay and filling looks fine , I can send you the X-ray if that helps?

What do you advise? Avoid hot drinks and give it more time to heal or redo the filling?

P.s it had never hurt to bite down or to eat.

Many thanks

Badchi

Hello Badchi. The dull ache is a pretty clear sign of a dead tooth and there should be evidence of this on the X-ray. I would be more than happy to check the X-ray for you. Send it to chahn@idealdentistry.com. Hope I can help 🙂

Hi Dr Chris, thanks for your reply. I have emailed you the Xrays, are you able to tell if tooth is dead?

I also went to see the dentist yesterday and he suggested replacing the white filling with amalgam with sedative layer ?

I got the X-ray. Thank you. The X-ray you sent is called a bitewing which is used to find decay between teeth. To diagnose the problem with your tooth you need what is called a periapical X-ray. If your dentist did not take one then they cannot make a decision in what is wrong with the tooth. From the X-ray you sent I can clearly tell that the filling is very close to the pulp – the inside part of the tooth. Coupled with your symptoms it seems pretty clear to me that the tooth is dead or dying. The standard of care would require the type of X-ray I mentioned. Putting in an amalgam is ridiculous especially if the dentist has not even looked at the root tips. With aching due to hot this is a basic next step. Digging further into the tooth will certainly not solve your problem. You may need a second opinion…
Send me the periapical X-ray – your dentist needs to take one, and then I can help even more.

Hi Chris

Many thanks for your help so far. I wish you was in the UK then I could have come to see you with this problem I have been having for a year.

I went to see another dentist today and took the X-ray you advised. I have emailed them to you.

He said he can see decay under the white filling and recommended amalgam. I am temped to use this dentist as I don’t think I trust my regular dentist to do this procedure.

Do what would be your recommendation?

P.s the symptoms I have now is I can sort of get away with drinking hot liquid fast but if I hold the hot liquid in my mouth then that’s what’s triggers the intense pressure – maybe I am confusing this with a dull ache? And it is really just pressure? This pressure can last for days and then I have found that if I keep putting ice on it, it then eventually calms down.

Many thanks for your help so far.

I will check the X-ray! I would not use amalgam. Have them put in a “sedative” filling like glass ionizer (Fuji 9). If the discomfort goes away then you know you don’t need a root canal treatment but just he proper filling.

Hi Chris, the new dentist had to drill deep due to to decay and had to put on a medicated temporary filling in as he said it was close to the nerve so he wanted to see if the nerve would calm down in the new few weeks before putting on the permanent filling else may need a root canal.

This time I have no pain after the procedure unlike last time when the white filling was put in I was in mild pain for a month before it calmed down by the other dentist. I take it that no pain is a good sign the nerve is healing? What should I be looking out for?

The new dentist could not explain why there was decay in the old filling. If you look at the 1st X-ray I sent you the top back tooth also has a cavity under the White filling (from many years ago) but there is no pain there as not close to the nerve.

In your experience do you know why this has happened ? Is it because my teeth don’t react good with white filling hence decay forms or did the other dentists did not perform the White filling properly?

Thanks for you advice so far.

I am glad you are feeling better! The white filling before was hurting because it was simply done incorrectly. Since you have no pain now I feel you have a really good chance for a full recovery! This is exactly why dentists need to know how to do proper white fillings!!!!

I hope you got this resolved with a sedative white glass ionomer filling and everything feels fine 🙂

Hi Chris,

I sent you a picture of my temporary filling. It looks more than 1/3 of width of the tooth. In your article you said White filling is not suitable. Does that mean I need to use amalgam ? Thanks

You “never” need to use amalgam in my opinion. Amalgam is comparable to using a spear instead of a gun. It is completely outdated and should be banned as it is in many other countries.

The size of the filling should be 1/3 the distance between the cusps, correct. Let the tooth calm down first and then “cuspal coverage” with an onlay or a crown would be indicated.

Hi,

I just got a cleaning and a cavity between two teeth filled. Without my knowledge the dentist removed an old filling behind the teeth that the cavity was between. I was not feeling sensitivity on this tooth before he changed it. Now I am. What could be the problem? Should I contact a different dentist? He rubbed me the wrong way.

Dear Michael,

You are the owner of your mouth and nobody can do anything to it without your approval. The situation you describe is not acceptable and I would make sure you first of all did not pay for the filling and secondly get it repaired correctly, at not cost. Then switch dentists 🙂

Thanks for the reply. I didn’t pay for it, my insurance did. But I don’t think I’m comfortable going back to him. And right now it’s just a “he said she said” situation. He might suggest a root canal. Does this sound like something that would need a root canal? Its very sensitive at times and other times not sensitive.

A root canal is the absolute last resort, so I would get the filling redone first by a dentist that puts your needs first!

Hi,

I just got a cleaning and a cavity between two teeth filled. So those two teeth were filled (with composite). Without my knowledge the dentist removed an old filling behind the teeth that the cavity was between. I was not feeling sensitivity on this tooth before he changed it. Now I am. What could be the problem? Should I contact a different dentist? He rubbed me the wrong way.

I had a large cavity filled 2 days ago they done a white filling when they started drilling it hurt really bad and I had to be ready numbed after they where finished the dentist told me to take some Motrin because where they numbed me extra I will be really sore. After it wore off I had a really bad tooth ache the dentist stated that the decay was close to the bone and this may not truly fix my problem my mouth is swollen and I have a white blister where my wisdom teeth should be the tooth fixed is right beside it. I called today and was told this is normal I can’t even eat or stand to open my mouth please what advice can u give o should of went with the option to get it pulled but she talked me out of it

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I hope now, 2 days later, it is feeling better. Don’t let
Pain drive you to want to pull a tooth right away! Give it a chance to heal first, you will want to keep all the teeth you can. Now, injections can be sore after the numbness wears off and your Dentist was nice to offer you some anti inflammatory medication. That helps. For the first day you can ice the area but after that you need blood flow to help heal everything so ice is not recommended…unless it swells up. Stay in touch with your dentists, it sounds like they are doing what they should 🙂

Update took my son today and his PED dentist looked at mine and said I have a abscess and since I still have tooth ache and pain my nerve is dying so got an appointment tomorrow to look at getting it pulled I can’t sleep and this pain is getting worse going to be looking in a implant as well any advice

Hi Dr Chris,

I just had a question about a pain and sensitivity problem I’ve been having after a white filling. 6 months ago, I had a small cavity filled in an upper right premolar. While frozen the dentist noticed another (small) cavity in the adjacent premolar and suggested he fill that one as well since I was already numb. Since the 2 fillings, I have had a significant increase in sensitivity to hot/cold food and drinks. Although one of these teeth has been sensitive for few years now, the severity has suddenly increased almost 3-fold after the filling. In addition, while chewing something crunchy, If I bite down on something hard in exactly the right spot with the filled tooth, it causes me severe pain that echoes for a few seconds afterwards.

During a follow-up, my dentist tested the teeth with Ice (both were sensitive) plus tapping the two filled teeth (pain in one when tapped underneath). He said the cavities were so shallow that they likely aren’t causing the sensitivity. He also ordered me a mouthguard for the pain, suggesting I might be aggravating the recently filled teeth by grinding in my sleep. I have used it regularly for 3 months but have found no relief as I don’t believe I grind my teeth.

Today I visited my dentist again, and after tapping the teeth he now thinks that my painful reaction is caused by an invisible hairline crack in the tooth which requires a root canal. He also suggested that I also shouldn’t put it off, because I can “bite down and crack the tooth right in half.”

Perhaps I’m overly suspicious, but I feel after 30 years with no cavities, no pain, nor any other dental issues, that two problems popping up immediately after a filling (and being seemingly unrelated to it) seems somewhat unlikely. I would love your insight on this matter before I have to make a decision. Thanks in Advance!

Dear Nishyel, that was a good description of the problem. Up to the last part I would agree with your Dentist. Assuming the filling were done correctly it is possible that there is a fracture. How the fracture happened is hard to say but your options with a fracture are limited. If the tooth, especially a premolar, has a fracture then there is a chance that the tooth can break in half if you bite on it right. In my experience a root canal treatment (for many reasons) is not a good solution. If the tooth is beginning to fracture then the pressure of filling the root canal alone makes the situation worse. The goal with a tooth at your level would be to prevent the fracture from spreading by holding the tooth together with a crown or onlay. This would allow the tooth to heal itself. Removing any contacts on the tooth for now and wearing a properly made and adjusted nightguard is one of the most critics parts. I am a huge believer in nightguards, although I see them made wrong all the time.
So, up to the root canal suggestion I was with your dentist.
Lastly, sometimes you can see a fracture with magnification and trans-illumination (light). I always look for those and usually find them especially if I remove the filling.
I hope this helps!

Hi Dr. Chris,

About 3 weeks ago I had a white filling done on a bottom right back molar (2nd to last). For the first week there was almost no pain, I was going about my life normally. Into the second week I was waking up with tooth pain, which I thought was due to gum inflammation (since one of the gaps between the tooth had gotten larger, more debris can now get stuck). Previously I had never had any problems with white fillings, but this has sent me back to the dentist 2 times in the past 3 weeks with excruciating pain. My dentist claims I’m clenching (which I haven’t had issues with in the past) and the whole right side of my jaw is sore along with the area of the tooth. They’ve applied a desensitizing treatment to the tooth upon one of my visits but it’s tough to say if it works (I could barely eat a bowl of luke warm soup last week). Tonight I’m going back because the only other option is to switch it over to an amalgam, but before I do so I wanted to know if you thought this was the right approach. I get bouts of crippling pain to where I can’t function, so I’m really at a loss of what to do.

Best,
Alex

Dear Alex,

A few things make no sense here.
1. There should not be a gap between the teeth after the filling was placed. This would indicate a poor filling and is not acceptable.
2. Desensitizers do not relate to clenching. Applying a desensitizer due to clenching is useless. If clenching is an issue then the bite needs to be adjusted properly.
3. Do not place an amalgam. That also is ridiculous. If a properly done white filling is causing pain then there may be a fracture or other pulpal irritation that will not be solved with amalgam.

So, it looks like you may need a dentist that is better with white fillings. Go get a second opinion!

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hi!

3 weeks ago I had a couple of fillings. None were deep, but on the bottom right side there was extreme sensitivity to hot, cold, and pressure, when previously it was solely because of sweetness, for example candy. I went back to the dentist for pressure and temperature tests and that area of course hurts. They did an x-ray and say that my composite filling visibly looked fine. He said because it may shrink from the light, that could be the source of my pain. He then recommended that I get a silver amalgam instead, which I would really not prefer. What should I do? I would like to ask to just retry the composite again a 2nd time.

Dear Ashley,
Composite can shrink, especially if bulk filled. The dentist needs to build the white composite filling in small layers which reduces shrinkage. Done correctly the shrinkage is minimal and should not be an issue. I would not place a silver mercury filling, which expands by the way and is fantastic at cracking teeth. Redo the filling, small layers, check for fractures, adjust bite, and make sure the filling is appropriate in size (less than 1/3 the distance between the cusps).
Cheers,
Dr. Chris

hello
i had a white filling almost 6 weeks ago and have pain ever since. i can’t even drink water without the sensitivity making my face curl. the filling was on my left side of the mouth and have been ill with colds/flu and infection ever since. when ill the side of my face which had the filling has swollen up too and i get awful gum pain. i am quite an anxious person so do grind my teeth often but is this the reason why it hurts?
hope you can help
many thanks

Dear Amy,
The sensitivity and pain associated with the filling is not normal. It is difficult for me to recommend anything other than for you to return to your dentist or another dentist for a check of the filling. The longer you wait the worse it usually gets…I am sorry for your discomfort. I hope you feel better soon!

Thanks so much for reading in advance! So I have a painful query. I received a filling in the beginning of December, composite. There were 3 tiny fillings needed. I wasn’t in much pain at all, just some discomfort but nothing I couldn’t handle. When I went to the dentist she gave me some x rays and said I needed some tiny fillings. I received the fillings, and had to go back after 2 weeks because I was in pain. The dentist then put a gum gel on my teeth and said it’s just common post filling feelings. Flash forward about 1 month later, I cannot chew on that side of my filling, nor have I been able to since I received the filling. It’s extremely sensitive to cold, and if I floss the middle tooth it feels like a knife cutting open my gums so painful that I end up in tears. I went to the dentist today and she said the fillings looked fine and gave me some amoxicillin in case it was an infection. These fillings cost me over $350 and now they are saying I might need a root canal which I would have to cover. Based on what I have said can I please have a second opinion on this. Please help me

Dear Jessica,

I am always disappointed when I hear that small white fillings cause so much pain that the dentists say a root canal treatment is necessary. Ridiculous. We generally do not give antibiotics after a white filling, that is also strange. I would be happy to look at some x-rays (after the filling was placed) as I feel the filling probably has an open or over contoured design. Also, digital photos help. I will do whatever I can to give you some answers but I need a little more info. Time is critical as a painful, bad white filling can kill a tooth!

Hi Chris,
I have a similar problem to what Nishyel described but with some differences. I had pain in one of my teeth a wisdom tooth, and when I visited my dentist they informed me it needed filling but I would have to reschedule to do it. I had to change dentist due to moving and when I visited the new dentist to have the tooth filled they informed me I needed four fillings. I had all four done in a short space of time about four months ago and I also was fitted with a nightguard at that time as I clench and grind my teeth and had some damage from that. I have since had pain in all four of the teeth that were filled. The one that had been painful prior to being filled is sore more regularly, actually it feels pretty much the same as it did before filling just more frequently painful than before. The others only when biting / chewing. I also have sensitivity to hot and cold. I went back to the dentist after about two months and they did various checks to determine for sure which teeth were causing the pain and which were the most problematic and also to see if there were any cracks.
They determined that there was no crack but concluded that the problem was caused by a difference between the strength of the filling material and that of my teeth, which caused minor movements in the filling material and that that was causing the pain, and that this was aggravated by the grinding.
They said that they would need to remove the fillings starting with the worst / most painful tooth and test different filling materials until they found what would work. Their first proposal is to put in a temporary filling and if that is not painful they would replace that with a new permanent one. I find the prospect of having this done with four teeth extremely daunting, plus it will cost me quite a lot of money. I asked to wait and see if the pain improved before beginning with the course of action they proposed and am due to return this week to begin with that but am reluctant to return.

The conclusion of the material difference causing the pain seems strange to me. I have had other fillings and this is the first time I have ever experienced a problem like this.
What would your view be on this matter? I have copies of x-rays taken by my old dentist and ones taken when I re-visited the new dentist to have the fillings checked and can send those on if necessary. The new dentist did not take any x-rays before treatment.

Dear Greta,

It is unusual to have pain in all 4 fillings. That, to me, most likely is due to technique.
Can you send me a decent photo of one of the fillings?
As per the blog post, many things can cause pain with white fillings. If the white fillings are very large then flexing of the cusps around the filling can become an issue but replacing the filling with a different material would not solve that problem.
If they replace one filling with a sedative filling, let’s say IRM or Fuji 9, and it feels better then it most likely is the filling technique, not the composite material.
If you can get, from your chart, the EXACT method and material they used and send it to me then I can see what I think. If they did not document this then you need a new dentist.

Hello I was going to have a root canal but on the way to the root he got past the decay and then told me he had a similar case earlier in the week in which he just placed a white filling. To me it sounded much better considering the confidence he had which first 2 days ibuphrophen worked fine. I now have terrible pain from eating anything other than dairy products. I only can find comfort with cold water or snow in my mouth. I know the contact is tight with neighboring teeth but over the counter meds won’t touch it I haven’t been able to get any sleep because pain which I am taking Tylenol p.m and another sleep aid. I have a scheduled the root canal for 3 weeks from now. What can I do to find any comfort right now?

Dear Corey. If you need a root canal (and if the tooth is throbbing then it probably does) then why would you wait three weeks??? I have never heard of scheduling out a root canal that long. I am not a huge fan of root canals (you could call me holistic or more on the natural side) but if you do need one you need it within a few days. You should be on antibiotics for 5 days. That will help the pain and during the 5 days, ideally on day 2 or 3, you get the root canal fixed. Go see a specialist as well. If you need a root canal go to someone that does it all day long, it turns out better.

Hello about 5 months ago I had work done on 3 of my top right teeth by a new dentist I was seeing well after she did the fillings are immidently started having pain in two of the teeth I called went back (had to go back twice) the second time she redrilled and found I had an opening in one filling and a fracture in the other filling so she tried a seditive filling to help it heal well it didn’t help and I was still in pain so after that she said she doesn’t know how to help me… So I traveled and 11/2 to see my old dentist he looked did xrays he says my nerve is fine and healthy and he couldn’t find the fracture she was talking about so he tried his best to get the filling as prefect to my bite as possible.. Well I’m still having pain i fill pressure when I eat and its so sensitive to hot and cold so I’m on the verge of trying crowns on both teeth which he doesn’t really wanna do cause he says their healthy and hes unsure as to why they hurt.. I’ve also thought about it being cause of the white fillings cause I’m pretty sure I’ve had teeth bothered by it and I did the silver and it was fine but he says he’s doesn’t think it’ll help cause my teeth rejected the seditive filling… Like I’m so confused and unsure what to do with these two teeth.. What do you think could be wrong? Could the nerve be inflammed even tho the xray was fine ? Maybe the white filling cause I also read somewhere that ur not suppose to put white filling on a fractured tooth? Cause he said if the temp crown doesn’t help I’ll probably need a root canal and I don’t want that…

Dear Bri, this does sound like a challenge. Can you describe the pain? Does it hurt spontaneously or only with cold, hot or sweet? Does it ache? After it hurts, how long does the pain last? Does it hurt when you bite on them? The answer to these questions will help me give you some differentials as to what could be wrong.
What was the sedative material they used?
You can also send me x-rays to check.
Cheers,
Dr. Chris

I had a composite filling on my 6&7. One of them was deep and partially opened from the side. After filling I suffered a pain while eating between the 6th & 7th just like an electric shocks after visiting my doctor he advised to use a mouth wash and floss to treat gum. After 1 week i’am getting better but i still feel a little deep pain after eating it is like food makes pressure between my 6th &7th.the pain disappears just after brushing but returns back when i eat again.
Could you please advise what should i do especially that I wasn’t suffering from any pain before filling

Dear Dalia,

The electric shock feeling happens because there most likely is a poor seal or open area around the filling. Bad gums do not cause this problem and no amount of mouthwash will change this. Flossing also won’t change this. These suggestions are, in my opinion, ridiculous with the symptoms you are describing. The reason you are probably getting better is because your own tooth is building secondary dentin on the inside of the pulp (live part), protecting itself from the inside of your mouth. Secondly, the open area around your filling is probably filling with minerals and “stuff”, essentially plugging the holes. This is temporary as any acid will open those areas up again. If the shape of the filling is bad then plaque will accumulate around the edges. Bacteria live in this plaque and then release acid which dissolves tooth structure, especially the stuff that is sealing the gap that is leading to the pulp, making the situation worse.

The solution: A properly shaped and sealed/bonded filling.

I am sorry there is no easy solution but this will not completely go away by itself and usually results in a larger filling or dead tooth in the future.

Keep Smiling,
Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris,

Reading other posts and comments, I am concerned about a filling I had recently. I had a composite filling done, and redone the following week because there was a painful bubble in the material. It felt ok the day after, sore when chewed on but not sharp radiating pain like before it was redone. Today, 2 days after the redo, it is sharp pain again when a chew with it. Could it be yet another bubble? I’m concerned about the level of technique you say it takes for white fillings, yet dentists assistants have done this filling twice. Should they not require the dentist themselves to do these? Should I have xrays done again yo check for another bubble?

Dear Crystal,

You are right to be concerned. Sharp pain is a problem. The mention of a bubble in the filling is unusual for many reasons. First, it is very unlikely unless the dentist/assistant did not properly pack the material in or used a significant amount of “flowable” composite filling material. Bubbles would be a sign of poor technique either way. Secondly, if the filling was not working out the first time you would expect the dentist to do it the second time, I would think. In some States the dental assistant is allowed to place fillings, and some assistants are very good at this, still, they do not have the training nor understanding a dentist does and if a problem arises then the dentist should step in.
So, now to address the pain. The size of the filling matters, as well as what was placed in the tooth prior to the new filling. If a fracture exists in the tooth or the filling is too large and the tooth is flexing, then you need a different type of restoration to hold the fracture together. I do not know the size of the filling nor the history so it is hard to comment, but, sharp pain usually is related to flexing of the tooth, a fracture, or a filling that is not sealed correctly, not a “bubble”.
I would discuss this with your dentist, voice your concern and ask him/her to personally address this. If they cannot then you need another dentist.

Hello I’m 22 years old I had a silver filling in my back lower right molar for about 6 years had sensitivity to cold but it had an over hang and had to be replaced because it was harming my bone I got it replaced by a new dentist with a white filling there was also a cavity under the filling pretty deep now I’m have pain at night it been almost 2 weeks now my dentist is day I may need a root canal but I really don’t want to it’s my favorite tooth it breaks up all my favorite foods

Dear Brian,

Sorry that your favorite tooth is having issues. Sounds like there is a lot going on. I can only help with the current situation that you present with, which is the pain at night for two weeks. This sounds like a dying tooth, unfortunately. Secondly, you need to have confidence in your dentist. If you do not then you need to find someone you trust. There are a lot of dentists to choose from.
If the pain at night is throbbing pain then you most likely have a dead/dying tooth and need that addressed either with a root canal treatment or extraction.

I hope that helps.

Hi, I am really hoping you can help me I am in so much pain and distress.

I had a tooth filling done in mid December and it was fine. Then on 21 Jan I cracked abit of the filling eating steak! As I went back the dentist said we can do an extension of the original filling.

Then, at the dentist – the pain was unbearable we had to stop. He applied some dressing with temporary dressing. My teeth all sorted becoming sensitive.

A week later I went back and he said let’s proceed with the filling, so he took the temporary filling out and filled it with a white filling (all on that same tooth).

Then – I came home and literally the anaesthetic wore off and bang pain in the bottom teeth now.

I went back a few days later – they checked the bottom teeth and there is no cavities, no decay everything looks fine.

The pain is just on the left side where I did the work and as soon as I have water or eat something it kills me ! The pain lasts for a good few minutes and I then a constant throbbing pain which I also being managed by Ibuprofen!

Please can you advise I am so worried and can’t take this pain.

Dear Rupinder, let me get the right. The filling did not hurt until you had it “fixed” right? Did the tooth hurt after you broke the piece off? I am asking this because if the dentist only extended the filling to cover an area that broke then it is unlikely he/she caused the problem. But, if the dentist removed the filling then it is a different story.
Honestly my gut says it probably is fractured. I would ask the dentist to check for that. When you broke the filling/tooth you probably caused the fracture that then became worse when the dentist worked on the tooth.
The aching is a sign of the nerve dying so this is urgent.
If the fracture is too deep then the tooth may not be fixable, sorry….

I my daughter it had some fillings done lat week and today and she been saying her mouth is hurting.what can it be wasn’t hurting before we got it done

Dear Willem, if the tooth is hurting right after the filling and it does not get better after a few days then you need to go back to the dentist for a checkup. Most likely it will be that the tooth will require a bite adjustment. I hope this helps. Don’t wait if it does not get better!

Hi, really hoping for some advice on what to do and what could of gone wrong if anything .

I got a white filling #18 DO about two months ago . Now previously I had a silver filling on that tooth that I’ve had for years. When I went for my cleaning the dentist said that I was getting a cavity that was starting under the silver filling, which is why I ended up getting a white filling on that tooth. So I got it back in December of 2017 , the dentis said it was close to the nerve of my tooth so he put a liner, and immediately after the nova Caine wore off I started getting a sharp pain when I would bite down and couldn’t floss between my teeth either . I went to the dentis office twice to get it my bite adjusted because they said the filling was too high . But that still didn’t help very much I still couldn’t eat not even soft foods. A couple of weeks later I ended up getting the filling replaced to see if that would help. It did help to some extent I could at least chew soft foods but still couldn’t floss. Till today it’s been about two weeks since I got the filling redone and it still hurts to floss between and when and if I put pressure with my nail on the filling i get a sharp pain. My filling isn’t too high because I already got it adjusted and my dentist saw the X-ray of the tooth and can’t seem to find anything wrong . So the endodontist checked my tooth out and couldn’t see anything either so she said if it keeps going on that I would need a root canal .

I don’t know what to do I have been taking ibuprofen and the pain goes away for a little but it comes right back and can’t floss or chew any hard foods. What do you think the problem could be and if any advice I should take what would it be ? Thank you !

#18 MO ( correction )

Dear Linnette,

Good description! The flossing situation makes it a little more clear. If the filling was high then the pain would come from biting. Silver mercury fillings are notorious for creating fractures in teeth over time due to their expansion and contraction and once replaced the fractured are still there and can get worse. But, you have pain when flossing which in my opinion points towards a bond failure in the filling. Flossing should not have a significant effect on a fracture. Often a large white filling is placed “in bulk” or the loose enamel rods at the mesial margin of the cavity are not removed prior to filling the tooth. Both scenarios result in slightly open edges and pain. Also, proper bonding is key in those areas. Isolation from moisture and proper filling bonding can be a challenge. That being said, I do not know the skill level of your dentist. One thing that can be done prior to killing the tooth with a root canal (which is the last and worst thing that can be done) I would place a sedative filling that is not so moisture or technique sensitive. I would suggest Fuji IX (9). If this takes the pain away then you know it is the technique with the white filling that is the problem.
I hope this helps,
Dr. Chris

Thank you so much for the response . I do have an X-ray and pictures as well if you would like to see them. I will talk to my dentis and see what we can do from there .

Sure, send them my way and I will take a look 🙂

May I please have your email?

Sure. info [at] idealdentistry [dot] [com] 🙂

Could you look at my X-ray I’m having similar issues in a lot of pain did have pain before and he removed rest of my silver filllngs without my permission

Hello Cassandra,

I would be happy to take a look and let you know what I see. Note that fractures do not show up on x-rays very well.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Hello, I have a few questions.

So, about a 2 years ago, I reciever a resin filling on the second-to-last molar on the upper left side of my mouth. When I was a child I’d had an amalgam filling placed on the same tooth, and the reason I needed the second filling was because I had a cavity literally skirting the edges of that filling. It might be important to note that I also have a habit gritting (though not grinding) my teeth in my sleep, though I’ve recently states using a mouth guard at night.

However, in the tooth with that filling, there is now a hole, and what seems like empty space inside of it, the edge of which starts at the edge of that filling. When I first noticed it, it didn’t hurt (which was maybe a week ago), and currently I haven’t had the money to go back to the dentist yet, but it has started hurting just a few hours ago, especially if I accidentails suction the inside of my mouth (idk how to describe it except that, since it’s what I do before swallow my spit).

Honestly I’m mostly looking for ideas to being up with my dentist, so I can have some information regarding this issue and not end up led by the nose in case they happen to be that type of dentist (they don’t seem the type but better safe than sorry).

Dear Chloe, it sounds like the filling is failing and you probably have a connection to the inside of the tooth. The suction feeling is moving the liquid in the dental tubules (the connections to the pulp through the dentin layer) and can be caused by decay or by the bond of the filling failing. Either way the filling most likely will need to be replaced. I hope this helps!

I had a filling placed a few weeks ago, and after a week it was sensitive when chewing. Two days ago, I thought I had food caught in between the teeth, so I tried flossing but couldn’t get the floss up there. It the became super cold sensitive (like a 5 or 6 on the pain scale) so I went in. They fixed the bite and smoothed the filling, but couldn’t find anything wrong with a visual inspection or X-ray. I was given a fluoride toothpaste, advised to change my normal toothpaste and to come back in a week if it was still causing issues so he could remove the filling and re-do it. Could there be something more wrong with the tooth?

Hello Amber. Sounds like the filling needs to be redone. If you were able to floss and then it switched to where you could not floss anymore then I believe the filling may have broken or fractured. Fluoride does nothing for that. Get the filling replaced and that should solve the problem!

I had multiple filling done a few months ago. About a month after getting them done I had a shooting pain on my top right back molar when biting and chewing food. I went in and my dentist said the filling was too high so he smoothed it down and I didn’t have any more pain when I bit down. HOWEVER When i got home I tried chewing on that side and I could still feel the same shooting pain on that tooth. I figured the pulp in the tooth just needed to heal so I gave it about a week and a half and still the tooth felt the same. I went back in and my dentist filed it down once again. My bite still felt a bit off on that side. I gave it another week and still nothing changed. I’ve been chewing on my left side for a while now and now that side has become slightly sensitive when chewing hard/crunchy food. I’m afraid I may be grinding my teeth at night or my bite may possibly be off which will affect all my teeth. I’ll get a root canal if necessary but I don’t want to have to do this procedure on multiple teeth all because of one bad filling. Your input would be greatly appreciated!!

Hello Luke! So, if I was your dentist I would not let you leave my office until the bite was perfect! In my experience having a bad bite is often the issue and if not treated quickly will kill or fracture the tooth. I also noted that many people who come to see me for second opinions have bites that were not adjusted correctly. So, if your dentist can’t remove all contacts on the filling he/she placed then you need a new dentist as this is critical for a dentist to be able to do. Secondly, if all contact on the filling is removed and you still get sharp pain when biting on the tooth then you need to look at a possible fracture or poorly bonded filling. Don’t let this go on too long…

Good evening doctor.
So today I got 4 silver fillings replaced with the white fillings because prior to having them replaced it would bother me when I was eating food. They were old fillings so my dentist suggested to change them. This was done at 11:30 am (eastern time ) and is now 9:00pm (eastern time ) and I haven’t been able to eat solid food because I get this sensitive feeling when I might down. Is this normal ? I called the office and they said it’s normal the first two days but I don’t believe so.

Dear Yarelis, now that it has been a few days, is it better? There are just so many things that could be wrong. I would check for fractures, filling, size, bad bonds, bite/occlusion issues, etc. This means your dentist needs to look at this closely and not blow you off! I hope it is feeling better, if not, get the dentist to fix it or find a new dentist.

It has been a week now…is it better? If not then most likely the bite is off and have the dentist fix this! Do not wait, it will only get worse…

Hi Dr. Chris,

Quick questions. I had a filling done I believe it was on #23. I have no sensitivity and can chew no problem on it, however it hurts extremely bad when I try to floss on either side of the tooth. He thought it may have been a spacing issue and tried that but it didn’t work. It’s been a couple weeks (my dentist is on vaca). I’m a bit nervous as I don’t know what the next step may be. I noticed biting into something soft like bread or a pizza is starting to hurt just a tad. Any suggestions?

Hello Mike. Interesting situation. Is it a small filling? If it hurts flossing then most likely it is not sealed at one area and should be redone. That is the easiest solution. Don’t wait too long or it will get worse!

Hello, I had some dental work done two weeks ago, wisdom teeth removed and some cavities filled. One of the cavities that they filled has been giving me pain, mainly when I eat firmer foods or press firmly on the tooth. They adjusted the bite two times and did X-ray. The filling was not very deep to begin with. I’m still having pain. I went back in Thursday and they re did the filling to see if that would help. It worked until today I’m having pain again, mainly when I eat or press on the tooth.

Dear K,

Since the filling was small and redone I would look for a fracture. This is likely if there was a silver mercury filling there before as these amalgams expand and fracture teeth all the time.

I went to get a cleaning and asked the Dentist if i was a candidate for teeth whitening. He showed me that when he blew air on my upper right fang (gum area) that my enamel there was a bit exposed and he recommended that i put a small porcelain filling before whitening. Its been a week since I got the filling which really hurt when they used the light wand to seal it. My gums above the small filling have been painful and raw. My tooth has also been hurting more. The filling looks great but im in more pain then when i went in. I want to go back to the Dentist but feel unsure if i can trust him now. What could be tbe problem? I no longer see the problem on the rooth but my gums are raw. Could it be a burn from the light UV wand?

Dear Wahine, sounds like they did not protect your gum tissue when they “cured” the filling. The light we use to harden the white fillings releases a beam of light that “cooks” the tissue if not protected and can create severe burns. Most dentists who are aware of this issue (they all should be) blow air on the tooth at the same time to cool the tooth AND the tissue. If the tissue burns due to heat, what do you think it can do to the tooth? Yes, burn it as well, which can cause everything from significant sensitivity to pulp death.
So, I am sorry you had that experience, it will need time to heal. Often some tissue will die and you will have what we call some “recession”. I suggest you discuss this with your dentist so he/she learns this and does not do this to other patients.

Hello DR. Chris,

Thankful to have found this site.

On December 20 2017 I had two silver fillings on the top and bottom of left side. I had some pain for a little less than a week afterward, and my dentist advised that this was to be expected. On January 7th I ended up having an emergency appendectomy. Fast forward to around 2/12, a few weeks ago. I suddenly started to experience sharp pain and sensitivity to hot and cold foods. I even had pain drinking room temp water. I was not able to get a follow-up appt until last week. The dentist said she would adjust my bite, after letting me chew on the blue paper. However, due to the air and tool I could not tolerate this. She sent me home with some type of toothpaste call MI Paste. The interesting thing is around this time I also started to develop a post nasal drip. I have sinus pain on my forehead, moreso in between my eyebrows, over the bridge of my noise and headaches. I do feel a dull throbbing ache in the area of the affected tooth. When I eat hot or cold the pain does not last too long. The pain is not like it was when it first started a couple weeks ago, i.e. sharp shooting pain. In fact, I can have hot and cold foods but the pain is there just that I can tolerate it more. They tapped my teeth last week and this week and I have no pain on percussion. I spoke to my PCP as I was worried about the timing of this “sinus” infection and tooth pain and have been on abx AMOX since yesterday. I am concerned that this may be pulpitis. But I would like to know if thats possible since I had no pain about a week after the dental work. Its two months post fillings and I can’t understand why the sensitivity now. Please advise. Thank you!

Dear Sarita,

Very good description! Let me dive right in. First of all it sounds like initially the restoration was pretty deep and possibly bacteria had entered the pulp already. The coincidental sinus infection makes it a little more difficult to diagnose BUT since you have been taking Amoxicillin we can test it. The amoxicillin should make the tooth feel better ONLY if the pulp is dead. Sinus infections can cause teeth to feel bad but you have too much pointing towards the restoration for me to not consider it the initial cause.
MI paste is good and and the fact that your dentist gave you this makes me think she is aware and looking out for you. It is better than fluoride in many ways, although there is a version with fluoride in it as well.
You now need to wait and see how the tooth reacts to the amoxicillin. If it gets better but comes back after about 2 weeks then you have a necrotic pulp. Sorry. If the pain stays away then it was a sinus infection only. If the sharp pain remains, go see your dentist for a bite adjustment or evaluation for fracture or failing bond.

I hope this helps!

Hi so me my mom and my brother all went in to this dentist and he used the blue light gun to harden the filling just like you said but my mom and I have had a pain in both our mouths now I don’t know if it’s an incorrect bite or not I’m not sure how an incorrect bite would feel could you please describe how that would feel because it is normal when I just close my mouth I can’t grind my teen if my mouth is closed except maybe on my right back molar so like I said I would just really like to know how an incorrect bite would feel

Hello Wade!

So, if the bite is incorrect then it would feel like you are biting on that tooth first – almost like a piece of sand or a bump. If you hit the tooth first and then your teeth slide into place the bite is also off. That is the most likely problem and I urge you to have this adjusted quickly so it does not get any worse!
Feel free to ask as many questions as you like 🙂 Cheers

Hello. I had a very small (per the dentist) cavity filled and a filling replaced last Thursday (so 9 days ago). They were on two back molars next to one another. The procedure somewhat quick and he said that he had no issues. A few days after this, I was noticing cold sensitivity. It would take a few seconds then kind of make my jaw hurt. No pain with chewing on those teeth, no pain with heat, no pain with brushing. Now I woke up today on day 9 and my lower jaw is throbbing. I took some Motrin. Since it is the weekend, I’m wondering if this is a big issue or if it is somewhat normal. I have had fillings before and have never had any pain. This throbbing pain is very uncomfortable today.

Dear Kristi,

Sorry for the late reply! It has been busy on this blog 🙂
This is not normal and you need this looked at. Throbbing is a bad sign and your dentist needs to check for a bite problem, fracture or poor bond.

Let me know how it goes!
Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Dear Dr Chris,

In November 2017, I went to the dentist as I’d cracked my tooth after eating crispy toasted German rye bread. I didn’t feel any pain/sensitivity, but the texture of the tooth was like a sharp rock. The tooth was a lower right molar, so I was happy to have the tooth removed rather than have a complicated filling. However, the dentist (first visit; I’d recently moved to the area) took an x-ray and told me that I needed three fillings (inclusive of the aforementioned cracked tooth). So, £469 later, I’m having three fillings (white composite), despite not feeling any discomfort prior to treatment.

C LR7 OL Lower Right Molar

C LR6 OL Lower Right Molar

C UL5 DO Upper Left Premolar

Immediately after receiving the white composite fillings, I had massive sensitivity in the upper tooth and also the former cracked tooth (lower). My bite felt unnatural. I went back to the dentist and she acknowledged that the shape wasn’t right, so she smoothed down and reconfigured the fillings. The sharp pain when the teeth were touching disappeared, but the general sensitivity when eating food remained and I saw no improvement, so another appointment was booked.

Three months after the original fillings were installed, she removed two fillings and re-made them. Alas, I’m still in the same painful situation. Every time I bite on anything hard, I get a sharp pain. There is also pain if I eat anything too sweet. Sometimes cold and hot liquids/foods can have an impact, but the primary pain is from eating something hard like an Almond. The pain feels like I’m biting directly on my nerve. I’ve got another appointment later this month to check up on my fillings. What is your professional advice? I don’t want her to have another go at remaking the fillings as the second attempt has left my teeth in a worse state than the first attempt. I have a feeling that it’s all going downhill from here.

I had no pain prior to any treatment, but I’m now contemplating asking for two teeth to be removed rather than endure this pain, which has honestly ruined my enjoyment of eating certain foods. As you’ll already know, due to the location of the fillings, the only place I can bite without feeling sensitivity is the front row. This is a huge inconvenience and impractical. This essentially forced me to stop eating certain foods.

Another point I should mention is that it took 5 injections to numb the lower right molar area. Is it normal to have so many attempts at hitting the right spot for the anaesthesia to work or is this a case of bad workmanship?

Thanks in advance for your help on this.

Kind regards,

Daniel.

Dear Daniel,

I would check for fractures! It sounds like either the teeth are fractured or the white filling is too large and the cusps around the filling are flexing…
Don’t pull the teeth, you would regret that. Find a new dentist and see what they say first.

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Hi Chris. I had a composite filling over a year ago and i recently started to get a throbbing type pain randomly around that tooth, so the dentist did an xray and said the previous filling wasn’t deep enough as it was showing decay on the xray (i had a different dentist last year to this one) A week ago he re did the filling with another composite filling and since then i am having this throbbing type heart beat pain, but worse than before, and my gum around that area is still tender and bothers me when i eat. He checked my bite and it feels fine. Its just the annoying throb that is bothering me. Will this settle down soon? Many thanks!

Dear Ella,
Throbbing is a sign of a root problem – dying or dead tooth. If your dentist is not able to diagnose this then I would get a second opinion. Throbbing, as you had prior to redoing the filling, should have been evaluated for a dying tooth!
Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hello, I had a tooth filled for a small cavity last week. This week the tooth is very tender and sore, feels as if I’m 14 again and just had my braces tightened. Feels as if there is a lot of pressure on it. Is this normal? I feel the person did a very poor job but trying not to be over paranoid.

Dear Samantha,

The filling should feel normal….so, go get it adjusted or fixed as dental problems tend to get worse! Most likely the bite is off and that is an easy fix.

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hi I’ve been searching for answers for awhile now and hope you can help I got 3 cavities filled in almost 4 weeks ago the first week was not as bad as I also started Invisalign the Sade day and just though my teeth was sore from that two cavities on my right to the back 2 before the last and 3 before the last molars I guess one was pretty big and others small the big one was not so close to nerve as I saw on X-ray and they said they don’t see nothing wrong with it. Since that day I’ve been in pain I stop Invisalign a week ago and still pain taking ibuprofen 800 every 6 hours I can deal with they pain its strong and sharp all the time my head is starting to hurt now but my dentist doesn’t know why it hurt looks fine she said but I don’t think it’s right to have so much pain I think she did something wrong she filed it down once didn’t do anything.please help

Dear Susy,

Pain is not normal. Something is wrong. If your dentist can’t find it then you need a new dentist. taking that much pain medication is a clear sign of pain. Also, it is unusual to start all those things at once…fix one problem at a time. Stop the invisalign, as you did, until the pain is resolved!

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hi Dr. Chris
I have several white fillings and I am very satisfied with the material both for replacement of old silver fillings and for new cavities (wonderful that no one can see all the cavities I had previously) and normally I don’t have any problems with pain or sensitivity. But, shortly ago I had two white fillings done which are bothering me now. One was a replacement for a medium sized old silver and the other was for a new cavity, both in lower teeth – one left one right. No problems right after the fillings were done, but the problem I have started about a month after on a plane going on vacation. During start and landing I had pain from those two teeth. Shortly after landing the pain disappeared. The same happened on the flight home two weeks later, but no pain afterwards. I will soon go abroad again, this time for business, so maybe I will have pain on that plane as well, but now my dentist is on vacation so I cannot see him before. What could be the reason behind this problem?

Hi so I got a filling done on my second to last top left molar a week ago. Everything came out well but my dentist told me that my cavity grew into the side of my tooth and if there is any discomfort to go back. Ok so a week passes and I had noticed a sharp dull pain when I chewed on something hard. Only hard things that push up into the middle part of the filling seem to cause this. I can chew on soft foods and no pain at all I can bite down hard, no pain at all coming from the tooth just seems to happen when I am biting into something hard like a cookie. So I went back and he adjusted the tooth and he said ok everything seems good now come back if it continues. Sooooo now after five days I still have the uncomfortable pain. I poke at it with my nail and apply pressure and it’s this sharp pain that comes only when I push up I made an appointment to see him again but I am afraid that he is going to tell me I might need a root canal which I don’t think I do please help!!! Should I get a second opinion and there was no pain at all even before he fixed it I had no idea I had a large cavity there

Dear Desiree,

I feel pretty confident that your tooth either is fractured or the filling is not bonded in correctly. First, if the white filling replaced a silver mercury filling then there most likely is a fracture as in my experience every silver mercury filling eventually fractures the tooth. If that is not the case then the new white filling can act like a wedge and press the tooth apart if it is not bonded in correctly or too large. So, your options will require the filling to be removed and then the dentist needs to look for fractures with LOUPES (I use 4.5x magnification). If your dentist is not wearing loupes then in my opinion they are practicing blind. If there are no fractures and the filling is less than 1/3 the distance between the outside cusps then I would place a new filling with small increments, reducing shrinkage and watching my technique carefully. It if is fractured then you will need an onlay or a crown.

Cheers,
Dr. Chris

Hello, I had two silver filling replaced with white composite on my last two molars on the bottom left.. afer the numbing went away and I tried to eat I got a very sharp pain at first I thought it was because it was just done and I gave it a few days but the pain was still there only when I tried eating something churchy/ hard and when I brushed over it very sharp intense pain. I went back to the dentist who said the it was too high and filled it down (which was painful even when he polished) he said to come back in a week if it pain didn’t go away… the pain is still there and it’s on the side almost in between the two molars that got the filings done… the pain didn’t exist before the fillings were done and I just want it to go away

Dear Lola,

This is a very common trend (check the other 300 plus comments). Silver mercury fillings fracture teeth over time due to their expansion and contraction exceeding that of the tooth. Placing a white filling into a fractured tooth will result in pain.
Some things to look at:
1. Did your dentists wear magnification loops? I FIRMLY believe you cannot deliver decent dentistry without serious magnification
2. Is the filling larger than 1/3 the width of the tooth? If yes then it is too big.
3. Is the bite off? (Apparently yes since the dentist adjusted already). This should be adjusted better prior to you leaving.
4. Is it aching? If yes then it is dead or dying.

It is frustrating for a dentist to see so many issues with white fillings as they are amazing fillings if placed correctly and into a situation where they can succeed. Many dentists will do what you said, make a small adjustment and put you off for a few weeks at which point you will be recommended a root canal and crown. Sad.

What people need is quality dentistry at the start. The right filling in the right situation. IF the replacement of the amalgam (silver mercury filling) requires a crown or onlay then let it be so right away, not after the tooth is fractured even more. The good news is that fewer and fewer dentists are placing these time bombs into peoples mouths and soon we won’t have these fractured teeth issues all the time.

I hope this helps,

Dr. Chris

Hi there! I had a composite filling done in between one of my molars about three years ago. It was redone three times within the span of a year when I first had it done because I was having issues with pain when chewing and extreme sensitivity.

I was referred to an endodontist for a possible root canal- she performed x-rays and the hot/cold test, in which my tooth was perfectly ok with (go figure). She did tell me, however, that my filling is VERY close to the nerve and that if I still experience any sensitivity that I will most likely lose this tooth.

Fast forward to 2018, and I’ve noticed hot food and beverages really hurts my filling. It’s not a consistent pain, it doesn’t happen all of the time, but it does worry me that I might end up with a root canal. My dentist also performed the hot/cold test on my tooth and nothing out of the ordinary happened, so I’m curious as to if I’m just sensitive to composite fillings in general?

Dear Angel,

Many reasons why this could be happening but now that you are experiencing hot sensitivity you are probably seeing the tooth slowly die. I cannot attest to the quality of the filling, the size of the filling, the design etc. I do know that once you have hot sensitivity it is difficult for the tooth to heal. The bite needs to be perfect. The fit of the filling, the size, the occlusion, the bonding, all need to be perfect. Apparently the dentist had trouble with the filling. If it is too big then it is probably allowing the tooth to flex around it breaking down the bond and allowing leakage into the tooth. If your dentist thinks you will need a root canal treatment then you will also be receiving a crown. Maybe a good time to make a temporary crown that is designed perfectly to seal and hold the tooth together…

Cheers,

Dr. Chris

Hi!
I recently had three deep fillings done on all of my back molars (not wisdom teeth) two on top and one on bottom. One almost immediately gave me excruciating pain however it was not sensitive to hot, cold, or tapping…just terrible pain. I got a root canal on Thursday. It already feels so much better! No Motrin in 24 hours…longest I’ve gone in two weeks!
I’ve been having biting pain on one of the other filled teeth. Told dentist about it. He tried fixing the bite twice but still hurt then the next day after the root canal the sensitive tooth broken. He bonded it together and I am going back to see him Wednesday. The biting on food pain is STILL there even after a broken part of the tooth broke off. He though that was the issue. Is it time to seek a new dentist? Does this sound like good advice? What should I ask him about? More X-rays? We do not currently have coverage because of a job change and a 180 waiting period so all is out of pocket. I just don’t want to make any unnecessary procedures.

Dear Brittney,

Sounds like the tooth may have a fracture in it – one cusp already broke off. This is seen often with old amalgam fillings after they are removed. Fractures in teeth can only be treated with crowns or onlays…The fact that a part of the tooth broke off clearly tells me that fractures are present OR the filling is way too big. I cannot comment on the quality or if a new dentist is warranted yet, sorry. Photos and x-rays always help. I believe you probably will end up with a crown on that tooth, hopefully no root canal treatment but that is likely as well.

Have a great day!

Dr. Chris

Hello,
I was having some pain in tooth 29, which had previously had a filling. My dentist said that the filling cracked, so he replaced it. This was a few weeks ago. Despite having it adjusted 3 times, it has still been bothering me. It’s not pain really, but discomfort, like a popcorn kernel is lodged there or something, and also sometimes sensitive to cold. Flossing does not bother me, and chewing and brushing my teeth actually make it feel better for a while. Ibuprofen does very little to help. They did an xray and said it looks fine, not abscessed, which makes sense I think, since it really doesn’t hurt, but I’m still not adjusting to it after a few weeks, and the unrelenting discomfort is a struggle at times. The dentist says that I grind my teeth and thinks this may be the problem, so I had a bite plate started last week that I’m waiting on. This makes sense, as I have some other spots in my mouth, mainly bottom just left of center, that bother me on and off, which my dentist also thinks is grinding related. I’ve been using a store bought night guard for over a week while I wait, but haven’t noticed any improvement anywhere, and the discomfort in the filling doesn’t really feel grinding related to me. My only thought is that 9 years ago I had a filling done that bothered me. The dentist switched it from white to silver, saying I might deal with that better, and as I recall, I did. However when I mentioned that this time, he said that white composite has improved and that shouldn’t be an issue.
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. I’m considering seeing another dentist for a second opinion but it’s hard to know where to begin, and I feel sometimes like my mouth will never feel normal again.
Thanks,
Matt

Dear Matt,

So, I feel there are two things you should look at. First, the white filling needs to be built in layers to reduce shrinkage – proper design and technique is key with white fillings. I would not replace a white filling for a silver mercury one, ever. Note that the silver mercury filling can legally only leave that dental practice in two ways – in your mouth or in a hazardous material bag. I pick the bag.
So, the filling probably is not adjusted correctly or created correctly. If your dentist does not have a lot of experience with this, consider a second opinion prior to removing it.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had to have a crown reset and when the tech was cleaning out the crown she broke a piece off the inside. I knew it didn’t feel right but didn’t say anything. I went back a week later and had a filling on the opposite side. The Novocaine didn’t block all the pain and the dentist left some of the old silver filling in, but filled the part of the tooth where he removed the cavity, with a white filling. I went back a couple weeks later and had 2 more fillings. I now am experiencing bouts of itching, burning and inflamed gums. This lasts 2 to 3 days at a time and I am unable to eat. What could I be allergic to? The dentist also applied a plastic where the crown was broken. It gets very sensitive there first, before the onset. The plastic touches my gum line where he packed it on. Help! I’m miserable!

Dear Anita,

First, did you mention all of this to your dentist? I personally would redo a crown if a piece broke of after seating it. It happens to all of us. If there is sensitivity then clearly it is leaking or not protecting the tooth.
Secondly, I usually remove all of the amalgam filling when a cavity is on the tooth but there are circumstances where the cavity is on a different part of the tooth and the dentist may not feel the need to remove the old amalgam filling. I do not believe in these fillings but many dentists still do. You will need to find a dentist that has the same philosophies on that as you do.
So, if you have a problem, talk to you dentist, don’t do any more dentistry. Make sure what was previously done is feeling good prior to moving on.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

I had silver feeling on my first Molars and the dentist suggested that I replace them with white resin the tooth was cracked and now I have pain any time I try to eat in it. I went back and she said it needed some smoothing and it would get better and it hasn’t and the pain is like a very bad tooth ache!

Hello Brandi!

A cracked tooth does not get better by “smoothing” it. As you probably read in the blog post, amalgam (silver filling) expands and contracts and in my experience always fractures teeth. Putting any type of filling into a fractured tooth will not work and in my opinion shows a lack of understanding of how teeth and fillings work. I believe you need to either ask your dentist to treat the tooth for a fracture (crown or onlay) or see a dentist that understands this better.
Time is of the essence!

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

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