Dental fillings are used to fill in and repair sections of teeth that have decayed, known as cavities. There are several different materials that dental fillings can be made of, including composite resin, porcelain, gold, and silver amalgam. Each different type of fillings has different pros and cons, but they all serve the same purpose: restore the function, integrity, and shape of a decayed section of tooth. After you’ve had a dental filling placed on a tooth, some slight sensitivity is normal, but there are also other causes that can make a dental filling hurt. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common causes of pain on a tooth that has a dental filling! If you have any questions about dental fillings or are experiencing any tooth pain, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Gentle Dental Maine!

Regular Tooth Sensitivity

The most common cause of pain in a tooth that has recently been filled is just some normal sensitivity. When you get a filling, the first step is to use a dental drill to make room and create a smooth surface for the filling to adhere to. This drilling process penetrates through a few layers of the tooth and gets close to the nerve, which can cause inflammation and lead to sensitivity in the days after. Regular tooth sensitivity should clear up within a couple weeks at most.

High Fillings

Another reason that you may experience some pain after you receive a dental filling is if the filling is “too high”. High fillings are dental fillings that do not sit flush with the tooth, and therefore can create unintentional contact between the filling and the tooth opposite to it. If you do have a high filling, you may feel uncomfortable pressure on the tooth when you bite down. High fillings are extremely simple to repair, as they just require a quick trip back to your dental office, where your dentist will smooth out the excess filling material. 

Leaky Fillings

One more cause of pain in a tooth that has been filled is a leaky filling. Leaky fillings occur when a dental filling partially lifts off the tooth, causing the nerve in the tooth to be exposed. Leaky fillings can cause toothaches, sensitivity to hot & cold food/drinks, pain while chewing, headaches, and more. If you have a leaky filling, your dentist will need to remove the filling altogether and replace it with a new one. This procedure is quick, simple, and relatively painless. Untreated leaky fillings can eventually lead to more serious problems, like advanced decay that requires a root canal.

Contact Gentle Dental Maine!

If you have any questions about dental fillings or need restorative dentistry solutions in the Southern Maine region, Gentle Dental is here for you! Our family dentists specialize in general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry services at each of our offices in South Portland, Biddeford, and Topsham. Give us a call at any one of our offices, or if you’re not yet a patient with us, please fill out the new patient form on our website!