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What causes pain after a filling? – Dr Joy Liu

October 8, 2018

It is very common to experience pain after a filling. While some will go away in a few days, others may take much longer time to settle. In some instances, ongoing post-op sensitivity can indicate more serious problems. Speak to our friendly dental crew at Seymour Dental, and we will assess the situation and let you know the options.

Some of the common causes of post-operative pain after a filling can be:

  1. Filling is left too high – when you are numb, it is difficult to tell how your bite feels exactly; but don’t worry, this can be easily rectified in a quick visit to us and we can make an adjustment for you free of charge!
High spot on second molar with a tooth coloured filling found by ink bit of paper - needs to be adjusted
  1. Tooth may be cracked – it is extremely difficult to diagnose cracks in the tooth. The only sure way of telling is by visualising the crack, which is almost impossible if the tooth is cracked from the inside. There are ways, however, to test for possible cracks. And if cracks are suspected, we usually recommend a crown to protect the tooth from splitting further.
Molar band used to hold a cracked tooth till a crown is made
  1. The filling is very deep and close to the nerve – This sensitivity can happen, when the decay has affected far and deep into the tooth structure. Even without the nerve being exposed, there are chances that the nerves are already infected and inflamed. This is not always clear on the x-ray. In this case, we recommend to wait and give the tooth a chance to settle. If the pain is persistent or getting worse, root canal treatment may be indicated.
Large decay near nerve - tooth may need root canal therapy - but may be OK after filling - wait and see

Usually, if there is sensitivity after two days, then its best to let us know.

 – Dr Joy Liu

Need an Appointment?

If you’d like to book an appointment with the dentist at Seymour Dental then call us in Dulwich Hill, Sydney on (02) 9564 2397 or
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Next week

The Angled Interdental Brush