Will Sensitive tooth due to clenching need a crown or root canal?

[tess456plum]

Hello- Thank you for reading my post.

I had a small filling put in my upper left molar (on the side, between the teeth) about 6 weeks ago. That tooth has always been sensitive. I have TMJ issues and I clench my teeth at night. Though I have a night guard I still clench a lot. Anyway, after the filling my jaw was very swollen and my jaw hurt a LOT for two weeks. My TMJ pain has been very severe since then. I was worried it was my tooth, so I went to my dentist and he took an X-ray. He told me the tooth was healthy and he didnt see anything wrong with the root, but that I have bone loss around the root because of my clenching and that is why it is sensitive and to give it time to calm down. I have been only chewing a little bit on that side, and if I chew anything hard it hurts the tooth and my jaw starts aching in front of my ear. My question is- will this tooth settle down when my TMJ pain stops, or will I likely have to have a root canal on it? Would a crown help? Thank you in advance for your advice.

 

[Gordon]

Can't see how a crown would help it. Was it a white filling? Did the dentist double check the bite on it when you went back in?

 

[tess456plum]

Thank you for you reply! Yes, it is a white filling, some kind of new material that has fluoride in it, he said. It is between the teeth, so I don't think the bite was affected.

 

[helpmehygienist]

Thank you for you reply! Yes, it is a white filling, some kind of new material that has fluoride in it, he said. It is between the teeth, so I don't think the bite was affected.

A white filling can be sensitive for 2-4 weeks. It is also possible that the filling is too high and your bite is off. If you are not feeling relief in a month from the sensitivity call for a reeval of the filling. (I am a dental hygienist)

In the mean time there are several things you can do to alleviate sensitivity. You can read this page for different options:

Sensitive Teeth

What causes tooth sensitivity, and what are the best toothpastes for sensitive teeth? We looked at independent research - the results may surprise you.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

It is unlikely that a crown or root canal is needed. If the pain is keeping you up at night it may be a sign of needing a root canal. Sensitivity is not usually an indication of needing a root canal.


Good Luck, I hope you feel better soon,

Lori

 

[shamrockerin]

A white filling can be sensitive for 2-4 weeks.

I am curious- why are the white fillings more likely to be sensitive for weeks afterward?

 

[Gordon]

Not really answering your question but white fillings are very difficult to do in comparison with alloy fillings, they are very technique sensitive and if the bonding stage isn't done perfectly then there is likely to be sensitivity afterwards, sometimes this settles down after a while other times it doesn't.

If the bonding isn't right there is no way to fix it other than to replace the whole filling, most of the time.

It's also harder to get the bite right with them, the alloys mark up quite clearly when you bite on them, white fillings don't.