Does Your New Filling Hurt?
Like other parts of the body, if teeth are injured, there are nerves that say ouch.
A cavity in your tooth is a hole which is formed by germs that live in your mouth. The germs produce acid which enlarges the cavity, the deeper the cavity, the more the tooth nerve responds. It can become hyper sensitive and say ouch more quickly, and last a longer time before quieting down.
A filling removes the softened bad part, and an artificial replacement is put back in. Small cavities are repaired with fillings, larger ones with onlays or crowns.
The dentist's skill combining art and science, makes the tooth look like new right away. Like any body injury, though, the tooth takes a while to recover, and the nerve, which may be slightly damaged, may be sensitive for a time. As it repairs itself, the tooth gradually feels better.
Even the best filling, onlay or crown may not help a painful tooth. Sometimes the nerve can't recover and then the tooth must be treated with a root canal or in some cases, an extraction. New techniques with implants, and traditional bridges can comfortably replace an missing tooth.
Preventive dentistry is the science of repairing problems before you have a toothache or tooth sensitivity. Treat cavities when they are small and the chance of a tooth ache, root canal or extraction drops to near zero. Dr. Robert Korwin, Red Bank NJ dentist is an expert in preventive dentistry.