Does a Permanent Tooth Filling hurt?
If you go to a dentist with a cavity, the most common solution will be to get a filling to reduce the pain and prevent a worse infection. If you do not visit the dentist in time, the cavity can eat deep into the teeth and cause more severe pain, requiring an advanced treatment procedure. When you visit a dentist to get dental fillings, the dentist scrapes out the decayed part of the tooth and fills it back to its natural shape. All of these procedures will happen in a day, and you can go home happier and healthier.
Tooth Filling Procedures
If you have a cavity in your front teeth or you are getting a filling for any other teeth, you need to know what to expect during the procedure. The dentist will let you know if you need any special preparation before the surgery; however, here is a general approach for tooth filling.
- The first step is applying a numbing agent, usually a gel, to your gums. As you might have guessed, you will be unable to feel any sensation in your gums after the gel application. After this, the dentist will inject an anesthetic into your gum to not feel any pain throughout the procedure.
- After administering the anesthetic, the dentist will use a drill to remove the decayed part of your tooth. A dentist might use another instrument other than a drill, but they serve the same purpose.
- The next thing to do is to fill the tooth. The dentist can use different types of fillings at this point, such as composite filling, amalgam filling, gold filling, and many others.
- The dentist will polish the filling until you feel comfortable, and then you can go home. The procedure is over unless the dentist uses a composite filling.
- If you get a composite filling, the dentist would have to harden it using a special light, and then you can waltz out as if nothing happened.
After the tooth filling, it is in your best interest to not eat or drink anything until the medication wears off. You might feel mild pain when it wears off, but you can take NSAIDs like Ibuprofen or Tylenol. Another complication after a tooth filling procedure is sensitivity to heat or cold. If your pain or sensitivity does not wear off in a few days, you should contact your dentist immediately.
Dental fillings do hurt. Some hurt a bit, some very much. However, the pain differs from one person to another, and it depends on several factors such as:
- Cavity size and depth – A cavity or tooth decay does not cause excruciating pain overnight. It starts over time and continues to eat deep into your tooth causing more damage and pain. You can even prevent tooth decay before it becomes a problem by practicing oral hygiene. However, if you do not catch it early, you can fix it as soon as you see it. The level of hurt caused by a filling depends on how deep it has eaten into your tooth.
- Position of the cavity – There are positions where you can find a cavity in a person’s mouth. If the cavity is on the front teeth, the pain will be mild because it will be easy to administer an anesthetic. However, if the cavity is at the tooth root, it is harder to treat if not spotted quickly, and the pain will be more.
- Number of Cavities – The more cavities in your mouth, the more pain you will feel after the procedure. Other than the pain from the procedure, you will have to open your mouth for a longer time, and you will feel more pain in your jaw from doing that.
The dentist’s expertise in performing the procedure is also essential to help you reduce the hurt you feel during and after tooth filling. Dr. Yelena Popkova, DDS, is one of the best in the business today. Please book an appointment with us right away for quality dental filling treatment!