6 Critical Problems with Dental Fillings

Posted by hasnain shah alam on January 1st, 2021

Having a sensitive tooth after the filling placement is fairly common, this happens because the tooth might be sensitive to air, sweet foods, pressure or temperature. Though sensitivity resolves itself within a few weeks. However, you can shorten the recovery time by avoiding the consumption of food that is triggering the reaction. Analgesics are usually not required for sensitivity issues. 

You should contact an Emergency Dentist in Bolton if you are located in Bolton, and your sensitivity does not subside, even after a couple of weeks and four weeks and if your tooth is severely sensitive.  You would be recommended to use desensitizing toothpaste or possibly undergo a root canal procedure.

Pain surrounding the filling

If you feel pain at the area around your filling, then there are quite a few explanations to why this might be occurring:

1. Feeling pain while touching the teeth together or when you take a bite 

This is the kind of pain that occurs every time you bite down. The pain is instantly noticed by you once the effects of anaesthesia begin to wear off and it continues for a long time. This might be because your fresh filling is intervening with your bite. In this case, you will be required to revisit the dentist and get your filling reshaped. If the pain does not ebb away after the reshaping of your filing, then this might be the indication of a more serious problem, which might also require root canal therapy.

2. Pain to cold or hot

This is characterized by a sharp pain that is radiated when your teeth touch something that is either cold or hot and the pain goes away within a few seconds after the cold or hot object is removed. If this continues for a significant period of time, then this would be the indication of the damaged nerve and you must consult a good dentist as soon as possible. It is very critical as damage to the nerve can be irreversible.

3.Constant throbbing pain

If the decay of your tooth is very deeply rooted in the pulp of the tooth, you might feel the throbbing sensation. This kind of toothache indicates damaged tissue and will lead to root canal therapy.

4. Referred Pain

This is the kind of toothache or tooth sensitivity that occurs in the adjacent teeth rather than the tooth that has received the dental filling. This pain is an indication that there is nothing serious with your teeth. The tooth that has undergone the filling is simply passing out ‘pain signals’ it had received to the neighbouring teeth. If this pain does not lessen or finishes on its own within two weeks, then you should seek professional help.

5. Allergic reactions to silver fillings

Allergic reactions to amalgam or silver filling is a rarity. According to the Dental Association, there have been fewer than 100 ever reported cases of Allergic reactions. The reactions occur due to the mercury or other metal that is used in the silver filling. The allergic reaction triggered by mercury is similar to typical skin allergy as one can see rashes around their skin and feel the itching sensation all over them. People who are allergic to amalgam usually have a family history of allergies to metals. Once your allergy to amalgam is confirmed, another restorative material is used. 

6. Deteriorating Fillings

Chewing, Clenching and grinding can be very pressurising for teeth. Consequently, over a time the dental fillings begin to chip, crack or wear away. Since you cannot always tell the difference therefore regular dental visits are recommended, so your dentist can identify the deterioration.

There is a seal between the tooth enamel and filling if it gets broken down by the food particles and the decay-causing bacteria that feed on it can easily enter the vacant space under the filling. This then risks your other teeth to get rotten by the bacteria too. If the decay is not timely treated, you might run the risk of infecting your dental pulp, which is characterized by toothache and abscess formation.

If your filling is too large or decay is too deep, there might not be a tooth structure sufficient enough to support the filling, therefore in such cases, your dentist will replace your filing with a crown.