Do Teeth Fillings Hurt? (11+ Post-Filling Tips)
By
Dr Shivam Jha
This blog post will address the topic, “do teeth fill ins hurt” and cover topics like is the filling process painful, what are the discomforts after filling, precautions to reduce the discomfort after filling and different types of filling materials.
Do teeth fillings hurt?
Yes! It is normal for teeth fill ins to hurt once the numbing effect of anesthesia subsides.
The nerves inside the tooth become inflamed after the filling, causing sensitivity and pain.
The pain, sensitivity and pressure on biting will eventually subside in 1-2 weeks.
Is The Filling Process Painful?
Dental filling process is the use of various materials to fill the hole in the teeth called cavities.
Materials used to fill the cavities are referred to as filling materials and the process is known as dental filling.
The entire filling process is done under local anesthesia and therefore the procedure is pain-free.
Dental filling procedure involves the following steps:
- A local anesthetic is used in the first step to numb the soft tissues around the tooth that needs filling. This is essential to give painless dental care.
- Removal of the decayed area of the tooth that needs filling using rotary instruments, or a laser.
- Probing to confirm removal of all decayed parts of the tooth that needs filling.
- After complete removal of the decayed part, cavity preparation is done by cleaning the bacteria and other debris produced during decay removal.
- Liners are applied for nerve protection if the decay has advanced to the root and might irritate the nerve endings.
- If you have opted for a tooth colored composite material for filling, then your dentist will apply the composite in layers and use a special blue light called “curing” to harden the composite material applied.
- Finally, trimming and polishing is done and the filling process is complete.
What Are The Discomforts After Filling?
The entire dental cavity filling procedure is done under local anesthesia and thus is completely painless.
However, after the effect of anesthesia wears off, you might experience certain discomforts such as :
Numbness
Just after the filling is complete, you may feel numb till the effect of local anaesthesia wears off.
Tooth Sensitivity, Pain And Pressure On Biting
Tooth sensitivity after getting a filling done is not uncommon and it may fade away in 1-2 weeks.
Sometimes, the trimming and polishing part is not done accurately, which leaves the filling too high, causing pain and pressure on biting.
This can be corrected by the dentist in no time and will help you to quickly come out of discomfort.
Galvanic Shock
Mostly seen with amalgam fillings, galvanic shock is a type of electric shock in the mouth, produced when two metal fillings touch each other.
All pain and sensitivity might take 2 weeks to subside. If it does not disappear even after 2 weeks, it is recommended to consult your dentist.
Precautions: To Reduce The Discomfort After Filling
How Long Should You Wait To Eat After Getting Your Filling Done?
It is a common question in every patient’s mind and the answer is not that simple. It depends on the following factors:
Filling Type
Amalgam filling takes almost 24 hours to harden and therefore you can only start eating after 24 hours.
Composite hardens as soon as you leave the dental chair and therefore you can eat once the local anesthetic wears off.
Local anesthetic
Local anesthetic applied during the filling process makes the entire procedure pain free as it numbs the surrounding soft tissues.
The numbness takes almost 1 to 3 hours to go away and therefore you must eat after the numbness has subsided.
If you eat when your mouth is still numb, the risk of chewing and damaging your tongue, cheeks and lips increases.
Hence, it is advised to eat only after the numbness in your mouth disappears.
Discomfort After Filling
It is quite normal to face some discomfort like pain and pressure upon biting after filling or soreness in the gums.
Such discomfort may disturb your mood and hasten your desire to eat.
Over the counter pain killer and salt water rinse will help in comforting you.
Sensitivity After Filling
Eating or drinking too hot or cold might cause sensitivity and interrupt your happy eating hours.
This is temporary and will subside in coming weeks after filling and till then it is advised to avoid too hot or cold food or drinks and also foods that are causing sensitivity.
Biting Difficulty After Filling
Sometimes, the trimming and polishing part is not done accurately, which leaves the filling too high, causing pain and pressure on biting.
This can be corrected by the dentist in no time and will help you to quickly come out of discomfort.
5 Precautions While Eating After A Filling
After a filling, you might feel some discomfort and need to follow the following to get some relief:
- Chew on the opposite side of the new filling with minimum pressure
- Eat Soft Foods as hard food puts a lot of pressure on the teeth surface causing discomfort to increase.
- Do not eat foods that are sticky in nature as it may stick to your new filling and dislodge it. This mostly happens with amalgam fillings.
- Eat slowly as this will put less pressure on the tooth and relieve the discomfort.
- Do not eat or drink anything that might trigger tooth sensitivity. Too hot, too cold or sugar rich foods and drinks must be kept away from your palate.
All the above tips might relieve the discomfort caused after filling.
However, your dentist is the best person to give you suggestions based on the type of your filling material and your overall oral hygiene.
Precautions While Brushing After A Filling
Yes, you can brush after a filling. The amount of waiting time depends on the type of filling.
Amalgam filling takes almost 24 hours to harden and therefore you can brush normally, only leaving the filling area undisturbed for 24 hours.
Composite hardens as soon as you leave the dental chair and therefore you can brush as regularly without waiting.
Electric toothbrush must be avoided as it may rip off the filling or wear it out too quickly.
Soft and gentle strokes must be used and vigorous action should be avoided.
Precaution While Flossing After A Filling Between Teeth
Yes, you can floss after a filling, but you have to be cautious of not doing it forcefully and extra cautious when the filling is on tooth edge.
Flossing after a filling must be done gently using an extra-thin floss. It is essential to curb bad bacteria and prevent interproximal caries.
It is recommended to brush twice a day for two minutes each everyday and floss twice daily even after a filling.
What Are The Different Types Of Filling Materials?
Dental filling, as the name suggests, is the use of various materials to fill the hole in the teeth called cavities.
Materials used to fill the cavities are referred to as filling materials and the process is known as dental filling.
Variety of materials are used for filling. Some of them are listed below:
- Gold fillings
- Porcelain
- Silver amalgam
- Tooth-colored materials called composite resin fillings
- Glass Ionomer
Several factors that need consideration while choosing the best filling material for yourself are:
- Where is the decay located?
- How much decay has involved the tooth?
- If the roots are involved?
- Amount you can bear for a filling?
- Recommendation of the dentist after full examination and X-Ray
After taking all the above points in consideration, you can choose the best filling material for yourself that will have maximum efficacy and minimum discomfort.
CONCLUSION
This blog post addressed the topic, “do teeth fill ins hurt”. We understood if the filling process is painful, what are the discomforts after filling, precautions to reduce the discomfort after filling and different types of filling materials.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs): Do Teeth Fill Ins Hurt?
How Long Does It Take to Complete A Dental Filling?
It takes almost an hour or less to fill a single cavity.
In case of multiple cavities, the dentist might give you multiple appointments.
What happens when a filling is close to the nerve?
When a filling is close to the nerve, the nerve gets irritated and inflamed, causing tooth sensitivity and pain.
The tooth sensitivity, pain and discomfort caused due to inflammation of the nerves is temporary and will subside in 1-2 weeks.
Do fillings hurt without an injection?
Yes, fillings do hurt without an injection of anesthetic and that is the reason why your dentist will first numb your teeth before carrying out any procedure related to filling.
How do you stay calm during a cavity filling?
For you to stay calm during a cavity filling, your dentist will numb your tooth that is going to be drilled for filling.
If you feel anxious even after numbing, for you to stay calm, your dentist might recommend sedation and make you go to sleep.
However, sedation is not always recommended for all and may be contraindicated in patients with other disorders or comorbidities.
How Do You Know If Your Filling Is Infected?
Infected filling leads to tooth infection that starts with a toothache and if ignored may further spread to the adjoining periodontal tissues and even jaw bone.
Tooth infection spreading to body may have following symptoms:
- Headache
- Fever
- Swelling on the face
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Dehydration leading to darker urine
- Stomach pain
- Increase in Heart Rate
- Inability to open mouth
- Pain on opening mouth
- Jaw Pain
- Dryness of the mouth with burning sensation
Other FAQs about Teeth Filling that you may be interested in.
References:
Healthline. (2019)
What Is a Filling? Colgate
Dental Health and Tooth Fillings. (2019)
Chewing Tips After A Filling. Colgate
Decloux, Derek, and Aviv Ouanounou. “Local anaesthesia in dentistry: a review.” International Dental Journal (2021).
Williamson R. Clinical management of galvanic current between gold and amalgam. Gen Dent. 1996;44(1):70-73.
Problems With Dental Fillings. (2020)