“How long does a tooth hurt after a filling?”
I had a filling on my molar tooth yesterday. It still hurts. How long does a tooth hurt after a filling?
3 Answers
Hi Friend,
When I was in dental school, I had two fillings done in one day, one in the lower right jaw and one in the lower left. The were both shallow fillings. The teeth were not sensitive. When the anesthetic wore off, they both ached and were sensitive to hot, cold, and biting. UGH!!! I could hardly chew anything, as it was the first molar on both sides. After about 2 weeks, I spoke to an instructor about this. He said, "If they really bother you, have a root canal in both." That did not sound good!!! At ALL!!! I said what is other option? He said wait. It could take 6 more weeks or 6 months. The pain will slowly resolve. And so I did. The pain did resolve slowly. I didn't like it, but was glad to not have root canals. Patience, it is not the dentist's fault. Some of us are more sensitive than others. My teeth only hurt to stimuli. So they got over it. If your tooth hurts all the time, you may need a root canal.
When I was in dental school, I had two fillings done in one day, one in the lower right jaw and one in the lower left. The were both shallow fillings. The teeth were not sensitive. When the anesthetic wore off, they both ached and were sensitive to hot, cold, and biting. UGH!!! I could hardly chew anything, as it was the first molar on both sides. After about 2 weeks, I spoke to an instructor about this. He said, "If they really bother you, have a root canal in both." That did not sound good!!! At ALL!!! I said what is other option? He said wait. It could take 6 more weeks or 6 months. The pain will slowly resolve. And so I did. The pain did resolve slowly. I didn't like it, but was glad to not have root canals. Patience, it is not the dentist's fault. Some of us are more sensitive than others. My teeth only hurt to stimuli. So they got over it. If your tooth hurts all the time, you may need a root canal.
Dear Reader,
How long a tooth hurts after being filled depends upon many factors. For example, the size of the cavity. The deeper the cavity and the closer to the nerve, the longer a tooth may be symptomatic. What type of filling was performed? Was it silver amalgam or tooth-colored composite? Amalgam fillings can transfer hot or cold from food and drink. Tooth-colored fillings involve a number of chemicals which can irritate the pulp ("nerve"). Was a liner placed between the filling and the tooth to insulate the pulp? As you can see, the answer in not so simple. However, most teeth recover in a day or two. If your pain still persists after 2-3 days or begins to increase, I suggest you contact your dentist and let him/her know. Then, if necessary, it can be addressed. I've been there. It's happened to me and the situation was taken care of.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS, FAGD, FIOCI
How long a tooth hurts after being filled depends upon many factors. For example, the size of the cavity. The deeper the cavity and the closer to the nerve, the longer a tooth may be symptomatic. What type of filling was performed? Was it silver amalgam or tooth-colored composite? Amalgam fillings can transfer hot or cold from food and drink. Tooth-colored fillings involve a number of chemicals which can irritate the pulp ("nerve"). Was a liner placed between the filling and the tooth to insulate the pulp? As you can see, the answer in not so simple. However, most teeth recover in a day or two. If your pain still persists after 2-3 days or begins to increase, I suggest you contact your dentist and let him/her know. Then, if necessary, it can be addressed. I've been there. It's happened to me and the situation was taken care of.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS, FAGD, FIOCI
If your tooth still hurts a day or two after a filling, call your dentist and have them check it out. There may be a problem like the bite being off that needs to be corrected.
