It is quite typical that if we have a toothache, we go to the dentist and get a filling if required. Usually, after the procedure, the pain goes away. But sometimes the discomfort and pain stay or even get worse. What does it mean? Is it dangerous? Does it mean that the dentist’s work was of poor quality? First, let’s see why your tooth may hurt and when feeling a little discomfort is normal.
Pain after Filling - Normal or Not?
It seems that when a filling is placed, the pain should immediately go away. But it’s not always the case. A slightly sore tooth after filling is considered a normal response to treatment. For example, when a tooth hurts under a temporary filling, this is normal, and a permanent filling will solve the problem. Even immediately after anesthesia, there can be some discomfort immediately after anesthesia, but it goes away rather quickly.
If the pain persists for a long time and appears when biting or eating hot and cold food, something may have gone wrong. Home the dentist for this. In addition to a medical error, the matter may be in the doctor's decision to keep the tooth alive.
Medical Errors That May Cause the Tooth Pain after Filling
Toothache after applying a filling often occurs with such medical errors:
- Overdrilling. This happens if the clinic does not use dental optics or a special caries marker, and the doctor plays it safe and removes not only the affected but also a bit of healthy tissue. In this case, you can feel some discomfort when chewing.
- Overheating. The rotor of the drill that removes the enamel is actively heated. When such equipment is not equipped with a cooling system, its temperature must be closely monitored by the dentist. If this moment is missed, the overheating of the tooth and the development of pulpitis are possible.
- Dryness of the tooth. Before placing a filling, the dental tissue must be dried. But overdrying is also possible; in this case, the filling material can become a little loose. It also causes pain when biting.
- Errors in canal treatment. If a microscope and a modern endodontic instrument are not used in its course, then it is more difficult to process the dental canals with high quality. Sometimes fragments of the tool remain in the channel. And they can provoke inflammation and toothache.
But you don't have to worry when you have a toothache under a temporary filling during a phased endodontic treatment. This is normal.
It’s not always the doctor’s fault if discomfort remains after the filling installation. A good dentist will try to preserve the neurovascular bundle, the tooth's nerve, by relying on conservative treatment. But sometimes, the pain after such therapy does not go away, and it is necessary to carry out depulpation and put on the seal again.
By the way, it is even easier for a doctor to remove the nerve immediately. But there are better options for the tooth. Without a neurovascular bundle, the tooth is dead: it no longer receives the necessary nutrition, becomes less durable, and may change color. Therefore, the dentist is trying to use any chance to keep the tooth alive.
What to Do if the Pain Doesn’t Stop?
If discomfort occurs after the anesthesia wears off and subsides, it’s normal.
If the pain remains for a long time or intensifies, it is necessary to do the following things.
- Contact your doctor;
- Describe in detail what is bothering you;
- Listen to recommendations and stick to them;
- If the pain does not go away, make an appointment with your doctor.
