sharp pain after filling...

[White_rabbit]

Hi everybody!
I had one cavity (which caused me no trouble or pain) in a upper right molar of my mouth filled over a week ago. While the dentist was drilling it, I felt for some moments a sharp pain. He then finished the procedure without further irritation and everything went smooth until yesterday, when my tooth has suddenly started having very bad bite pressure pain. The pain feels very much the same as when I was having the tooth filled, but I can feel it only when eating, there ‘s no hot/cold sensitivity.
I went back to my dentist today and had him check the tooth out. He did an adjustment to file some of the filling down, that he said was a little high on the tooth …then he said I’ll have to see if the pain stops or not, and in case it doesn’t have a root canal treatment. *I’m worried about this, the first week was ok, but then the pain started so suddenly and is so severe….. I’m completely terrified about RCT, I’m asthmatic and have severe allergic reactions to foods and drugs, and very much worried about anaesthetics.
What ‘s gone wrong? One week ago I didn’t even know I had *a cavity, and today he talks about a root canal treatment –and he hasn’t even done an x-ray….
Any advice?
Thanks.

[Gordon]

If the filling was a bit high and it's now been adjusted, I'd wait a bit before worrying about it. The tooth might settle down on its own.
Lots of people here have had endo, it's not a big deal, just a more fiddly kind of filling.

[White_rabbit]

Dear Gordon,
thank you for your kind reply.
That's o.k., I'll wait and see if the pain reduces or stops...
Just tell me, how long should I wait (before worrying so much I will end up sobbing on my bed )?? If the pain doesn't stop, I will have to think about RCA and... I believe I'm a bit phobic about anaphilaxsis...... having all these allergies and asthma etc..sometimes it becomes quite unbearable to me the fear of a possible reaction!I've had endo too, once, (ages ago, my allergies hadn't even appeared yet) but it was not so simple and painless as you describe it...I remember it as a long, repeated procedure that left all my mouth and jaws aching....
But, coming back to my issue....how long? A day, a week...? Is it more likely for the pain to stop suddenly as it came, or gradually? GIve some hope, pleeeease!
thanks a lot

[Gordon]

2 or 3 days maximum. I've just had an endo job on my upper premolar. Things are a lot better than they used to be in endo.
Endo materials are really inert, if you could manage fillings with no bother then endo will be fine.

[White_rabbit]

Hi Gordon!
After two days the pain has reduced a lot, but still I can feel an unpleasant sensation when I bite something...nothing unbearable, but still a discomfort...
should I feel optimistic??? Is it possible that the filling has to be shaped a bit more, or the fact that the pain hasn't completely disappeared means... bad news for me? [smiley=confused.gif]

[Gordon]

I'd be cautiously optimistic

[White_rabbit]

Hi! After two weeks the pain has nearly completely disappeared...except when I bite something hard...when this happens, my tooth still aches...should I call the dentist again?? [smiley=frightened.gif] [smiley=frightened.gif] [smiley=frightened.gif]

[Zzzdentist]

When he did the filling, did he mention anything about whether the cavity was really deep? *Was there an old deep filling that was being replaced? *I'm just wondering because you mentioned that you felt something during the procedure. *Sometimes this is just due to a portion of the tooth not being entirely numbed. *Other times it could indicate an area of decay being very close to the nerve being sensitive as it is removed. *It's hard to say without seeing the xray.

If he didn't mention anything to you, it might not have been that deep. *It could be that the filling is still slightly high. *Was it a white composite filling? *You might want to go in for a visit to have them check it out. *They won't be doing the root canal that day, but likely they will just examine the tooth. *Common tests done are percussion (no pain on tapping = good), pressure (no pain on biting a hard test object = good), temperature (no lingering pain on hot/cold = good), perio (pockets less than or equal to 3 mm = good), and electrical (similar readings to other teeth = good).

If it was a white filling, there can be bonding problems encountered which might explain your symptoms. *More often it's a problem with the bite. *Either way it might be best to get an xray to see if anything shows up. *It could be that the nerve is dying. *Three weeks might be enough for something to be visible on the xray if the tooth is abcessing. *It does take some time for changes to be visible in the bone on an xray.

Your other option is to wait a bit longer and see if your symptoms change any, but if it's aching badly every time you eat it's best to go in.

[White_rabbit]

Yes he told me the cavity was very deep, but it wasn't an old filling. The filling is made of white composite and it doesn't hurt with percussion or temperature, i just feel a slight discomfort with pressure ....even now, after more than two months. Is the x ray useful to determine the reason of this pain?

[Zzzdentist]

It might help reveal if there is any periapical (around the tips of the roots) pathology (disease). It's good to hear that it's settled down, and your dentist may want to take an xray at your next appointment to check to see how the tooth is doing.

In some cases of pain after a deep filling, the tooth may settle down, but it is due to the nerve dying over time. The nerve can die and the symptoms subside. There can be some lingering pressure sensitivity and intermitant pain, or there may be nothing. I've seen some people walk around with dental abscesses, and they have no idea that the tooth was abscessed.

Only when you take an xray and do some tests that the state of the nerve can be fully assessed.