Permanent onlay sensitivity?

[Tim2049]

Hello!

New to the forum, but had a question regarding an onlay. I had a filling replaced and a temp onlay set last week. A few days ago I had the permanent placed, and had some adjustments done yesterday since my bite was off. Everything seems good except I'm having sensitivity when biting down on foods (apple, chips). Nothing related to temperature, just biting down on those types of foods is sensitive. Is this normal since it's a new onlay?

I'm generally nervous when it comes to going to the dentist, and doubly so in the middle of the pandemic. Hoping it's not a sign of needing a root canal or anything. Any feedback would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[Niall Neeson]

Hi Tim2049,

It’s always nice when things settle down completely straight away but unfortunately it doesn’t always happen. It’s pretty common that things can take a week or two to settle down.

It’s quite a change for the tooth so there’s often a degree of healing required. If the bite was off it could have irritated the ligament that surrounds the tooth so just like a bruise may take a few days to settle even with the adjustment.

If it’s only momentary with some foods hopefully it will settle down.

Certain things can contribute to things being uncomfortable when biting. One of those is being heavy on the bite- is that feeling fully correct now since the adjustment?

Sometimes it can relate to the forces being applied to the tooth when you move your teeth from side to side, as you do when eating- even if the bite feels ok on the ‘normal bite.’ This can be a particular issue for people who may clench or grind their teeth.

With any tooth that’s required a lot of treatment, realistically there’s always a chance it may require root canal treatment in future but it’s much more likely that this is just a temporary discomfort that could resolve itself over the coming days or weeks. If for any reason the pain progresses or just doesn’t improve over that time period then you could always get in touch with your dentist again. Hopefully though things will improve for the better for you soon.

Hope this helps. All the best,

Niall

 

[Tim2049]

Thank you very much for your reply! Much appreciated.

Yep; the sensitivity seems to only appear when I bite down and chew on crunchier foods (no sensitivity with temperature or on soft foods), and doesn't linger. If it's something that's normal and will clear in a week or so, that'd be a huge relief. Having to go in for another round of appointments in the middle of the pandemic is stressful on top of the regular dental anxiety.

 

[Niall Neeson]

You’re very welcome. Hope it all settles down for you ?