Reasons For Aching Teeth Pain After Filling A Cavity

Reasons For Aching Teeth

It is not uncommon to experience some level of tooth pain after filling a cavity. Your tooth experienced some trauma to begin with, and the filling process can further temporarily sensitize the tooth. Often the nerve in the tooth will simply require some recovery time for tooth pain after filling to subside.

Some of the most common reasons for tooth pain after filling a cavity are:

A. Trauma to the tooth pulp. This cause of tooth pain after filling a cavity may indicate that the inner tissues of the tooth were not as healthy as originally thought. If tooth pain after filling continues, a root canal may be called for.

B. Improperly shaped fillings may cause continued tooth pain after filling cavities. Sometimes adjustments will need to be made to the shape of the filling after swelling of the surrounding tissue has gone down.

C. The nerve of the filled tooth may be broadcasting pain signals which are picked up by the nerves of a nearby tooth. This referred pain may be the cause of tooth pain after filling in teeth that were not originally involved.

What can you do to treat tooth pain after filling?

A. Report the problem to your dentist if the tooth pain doesn't subside within two weeks after filling.

B. Over the counter pain killers may provide a small measure of relief until you can see your dentist again.

C. De-sensitizing toothpastes may bring some relief for tooth pain after filling cavities until the tooth's nerve has had time to recover.

D. Follow through with whatever procedure your dentist recommends to alleviate tooth pain after filling your cavity, whether it's simple re-shaping of the filling or root canal therapy.

So, while it's not uncommon to experience tooth pain after filling cavities, it's also not something to ignore. There may be many underlying causes for your pain, and only your dentist is qualified to diagnose the exact source. Treatment will vary according to the cause, but there is a way to alleviate tooth pain after filling cavities.