Bite feels off after lower molar extraction 6 weeks ago (metal fillings clanking, that tooth hits first when I close my mouth)

[tt27307]

Had a lower first molar extracted 6 weeks ago. Ever since, chewing on my right side has felt really off.

When I close my teeth together, the first thing that makes contact is my upper right molar which has a metal filling, and the lower second molar next to the gap also has a metal filling. It feels like the two fillings are clanking together every time I bite down. No pain, but it makes chewing uncomfortable and it feels like all the pressure is going through that one tooth.

I know the extraction changed my bite but is this something a dentist can easily fix? Is it likely just a high bite/premature contact that needs adjusting?

 

[Gordon]

It's usually a simple (and painless!) thing to fix. Might take more than 1 visit though so don't panic if it's not totally fixed at the first attempt!

 

[tt27307]

Hi Gordon, thank you so much. I have some further concerns, so I made some notes for my dentist when I go back in a week.

1. Loose feeling in lower right molar with amalgam filling, especially when tongue passes over it. Bite feels completely off and uncomfortable when chewing. Pressure sensation around the tooth. Feels like I’m biting directly into metal when I eat. No throbbing pain, sharp pain when biting down or hot/cold sensitivity. Worried about tooth infection or necrosis resulting in a root canal. This is how #46 went, just silently into the night, then filling fell out and needed extraction. (I was warned this tooth needed RCT, but my anxieties made me put it off, big mistake )

2. Partial dentures on the lower left and right to replace missing premolar and molar teeth. Would like to restore more chewing function. Curretly unable to afford implants. Worried about being unable to eat on my right side.

I’ve attached a diagram of the missing teeth if that helps, I didn’t have lower wisdom teeth to begin with. I’m worried that the tooth next door to the extraction is becoming necrotic since it has a large amalgam in but aside from what I’ve described above, I don’t have the other typical symptoms of a failing filling, like throbbing pain, sharp pain when biting down or hot/cold sensitivity.

Thank you.

 

[Gordon]

If the bite is as far out of correct occlusion as you think then it will feel like your tooth is loose. It's not likely to be a sign that the pulp is dying.

 

[tt27307]

Hi Gordon. I braced myself up to get a clean today with no sedation or numbing. I also got fitted for partial dentures so I felt my dentist and I accomplished quite a bit in our 30 minute appointment. She’s very compassionate and understands my fears.

I just can’t seem to fathom that I actually got through with the clean. She mentioned some 2’s and 3’s on my teeth which I presume was relating to my gum health. During the clean it was quite uncomfortable and the noise above all else was unbareable even with headphones in. I actually don’t know if I’d be able to do it again, but she did say it would be more uncomfortable since I’ve not had one done in a long time. I was bleeding so much too which I knew was to be expected.

There was one particular tooth that I had to immediately stop her from doing because it felt like being drilled into with no numbing. It was the tooth we’ve been discussing with the filling that I thought had a high bite. She said the filling was fully intact but the tooth itself was ever so slightly wobbly?! Guess it’s something to monitor. This molar tooth is the one next door from an extraction I had 6 weeks ago. Do you think the shooting pain that happened from the scaler was just because the tooth is a bit more sensitive? She stopped immediately when it happened thankfully and was apologetic. That part of the clean really made me think I need sedation for them the future though which is a total bummer because I was trying to overcome my fears today.

 

[Gordon]

The sensitivity is quite likely related to the extraction, there will be some bone loss from the adjacent socket so a little bit more of the root surface will be exposed, this is where the sensitivity comes from. It should get better once the socket has healed more, but as a short term help rub some sensitive tooth toothpaste into the sensitive area with a finger tip or cotton bud.

Would you be happier with noise cancelling headphones to minimise with the noises? If you've got 2 or 3 gum scores with bleeding then it sounds like you're going to need regular scaling for a while, getting sedated every time is not entirely practical, so trying to find some way around it might be a good idea.

 

[tt27307]

Thanks Gordon. I’ll ask my dentist when I go back but would you say every 3 or 6 months? Just want to say thanks as well for taking the time to respond to everyone’s comments on here, you must ease a lot of anxiety in patients. I know sedating isn’t practical everytime and I’m happy I got it done yesterday without, just proves I can do it if I really try. I can ask for numbing can’t I with the injections if I’m sensitive? I only got some gum topical spray yesterday which helped the bottom front quite a bit

 

[Gordon]

I can't really tell without seeing you, sorry. Your dentist should be able to advise you properly.

Generally speaking it normally takes 2-3 visits to get gum issues under control, follow up will vary depending on how well the patient maintains things, some people need a wee gee-up more often than others do.

Yes, you can ask for an injection if things are painful, or there are more potent topical applications than the spray available.

 

[tt27307]

Hi Gordon. Thank you. I’m so stressed about my tooth because it is ever so slightly wobbly I can actually feel it with my finger (I only done it once after the dentist told me it was slightly loose) and haven’t had an X-ray on it yet. Is it normal for this to still be the case 6 weeks after an extraction of its neighbour, I did have dry socket and infection which took my healing forever to finally happen the socket has almost closed over now ? They are both lower molars (one extracted) . There some soreness and dull ache in the area but looks fine to the eye just some mobility. The dentist wasn’t worried . I have been upping my oral hygiene since my clean but wasn’t able to get a clean done of the tooth so I don’t know if I need to do this for it to feel more stable since I have gingivitis. I really don’t want to lose this tooth too

 

[Gordon]

If you've got some peridontal disease then a small amount of wobbliness is to be expected. I really couldn't say without seeing you. It's not a big problem if you can manage to sort out your plaque control and stop it progressing.

 

[tt27307]

Hi Gordon hoping you can advise here. It’s now been almost 2 months since my extraction (5 March) and my 2nd lower right molar is showing no signs of stabilising after extracting my 1st lower right molar. I’m now in A&E because my left jaw has locked closed so I cannot open my mouth fully to eat. I feel like it has been one thing after another. I just need some help unlocking my jaw (I’ve tried EVERYTHING at home) and then I can focus on my loose tooth. It’s not painful but I haven’t been chewing on the right side since the extraction due to the looseness. The X-ray showed a small amount of gum recession and a slight darkness between the tooth and gum/bone on the side (rather than underneath) I’m just so tired of it all.

 

[Gordon]

I'm not sure what I can do to advise you, other than to say you need to see your dentist.