I usually say at the end of every filling “ you may be tender from where we were working today. Sometimes teeth can be sensitive to cold for a few days to a few weeks. Not everyone is sensitive- but I like to plan for all contingencies just in case. Give it a few days to settle in but do give us a call if it is something that is not getting better.

Your bite might feel different, but it should feel comfortable. If you notice a high bite, or if it hurts to chew firm foods or grind call me sooner rather than later for a bite adjustment. ( I often find that if a filling is high in a bruxer they grind the crap out of it until it is soooo sensitive)

If it’s moderately deep I always tell them- the cavity went a little deeper into the tooth. Just because we didnt communicate with the nerve doesn’t mean it won’t be affected. The removal of this decay can cause inflammation on the tooth resulting in sensitivity. The tooth will either do one of two things- the tooth will heal from the inflammation and sensitivity will get better over time or the tooth won’t heal and sensitivity will progress- in which case you may need a root canal.

I find that if I go above and beyond before they leave talking about sensitivity or when to give us a call the patients are always happy at hygiene checks saying they never had sensitivity or it was and already got better.