Question: Why does my tooth hurt after it just received a new white filling? It did not hurt before!
Answer: Your tooth should obviously not hurt after the filling, especially if it did not hurt before. In this practice I do not have patients complaining of pain after white fillings are placed. If you are experiencing pain, here are some reasons why:
- Polymerization Shrinkage: Composites (white fillings) shrink a little when they harden. Generally the dentist will place the material into the cavity in a liquid to pasty form and then use a strong light (LED or Halogen) to instantly harden the material. If the composite material is placed incorrectly or in bulk then the composite will shrink enough to either allow a little gap to form around the filling, or it will actually pull the tooth together. Either way the tooth will become sensitive to hot and cold.
- Too Large Composite: Composite is a great material, in small fillings. Once the filling reaches a certain size (1/3 the distance between the cusps or more than 2 surfaces) then it generally is not strong enough to function correctly. Composite material is not strong enough to function exactly like tooth structure. The tooth will bend, the composite will wear or fracture, and eventually failure is inevitable. When the filling fails it will then require a much larger restoration or worse.
- Other Issues: The two scenarios above are fairly common. Often I see patients that have super large composite fillings (patches), and that is usually a warning sign to the quality of dentistry found in all the other teeth. Composite material is great if used correctly. It is not a cure-all. It can have bubbles in it, fail to bond correctly, not cure all the way, etc. Composite is very technique sensitive and is often placed without enough care. This is where experience becomes important!
So, to answer this persons’ question – Your tooth could hurt for many reasons, none are good. Talk to your dentist about this problem and see what they say. If the answer is “wait and it will get better”, then seek out a second opinion. Unfortunately Kentucky is not known for its quality dentistry (we are 49th and 50th in the US when it comes to number of teeth in adult mouths and oral health), so do your research and find a top dentist. I suggest you look at the AACD (American Academy Of Cosmetic Dentistry) as one of your sources. Select an accredited member as they have gone through some of the most rigorous training in the world and must live up to their reputation (there are several in Lexington and I am the only one in Louisville).
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
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/dental/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?