Hi,
Please provide your assessment of what might be causing ongoing sensitivity.
Case:
UR6 shallow occlusal composite filling (replacement for an amalgam). Intermittent sharp shooting pains upon chewing. Secondary caries identified underneath amalgam. No fractures were identified. Composite filling placed seven months ago.
Since having the composite filling done, I have experienced pain only on biting something hard on the filling or when directly pushing against the filling and upon release with the fingernail. There’s no pain on touching the tooth itself with the finger.
Initially for the first three months, the pain was a very acute, short lived, sharp and shooting type of pain, with no dull ache or throbbing and was most prevalent in the mornings. There is no discomfort with cold, hot or sweet things. However there was a brief period in which the tooth was sensitive to cold water which started two months ago and resolved by itself after a few weeks.
I have used sensitivity toothpaste for the last several months which has alleviated the acute, sharp and shooting pain into a milder shooting soreness upon chewing.
My dentist mentioned there is no obvious fracture line in the tooth. The filling is also not high, and has been adjusted out of the occlusion after I sought a review from my dentist one month after the procedure.
The tooth is not tender to percussion and responds normally to cold test. There is no pocketing around it.
Aside from a possible fractured tooth, I am thinking it could be polymerization shrinkage as my dentist placed the composite in bulk. My dentist also did not use any irrigation in drilling out the caries so may have irritated the nerve at the time.
I have attached a copy of x-rays taken before the replacement (with amalgam) and one month after the composite filling. I have noticed a dark line from the tooth centre and was wondering if that is a sign of a poor bond or nothing at all?
Thank you,
Jono
Please provide your assessment of what might be causing ongoing sensitivity.
Case:
UR6 shallow occlusal composite filling (replacement for an amalgam). Intermittent sharp shooting pains upon chewing. Secondary caries identified underneath amalgam. No fractures were identified. Composite filling placed seven months ago.
Since having the composite filling done, I have experienced pain only on biting something hard on the filling or when directly pushing against the filling and upon release with the fingernail. There’s no pain on touching the tooth itself with the finger.
Initially for the first three months, the pain was a very acute, short lived, sharp and shooting type of pain, with no dull ache or throbbing and was most prevalent in the mornings. There is no discomfort with cold, hot or sweet things. However there was a brief period in which the tooth was sensitive to cold water which started two months ago and resolved by itself after a few weeks.
I have used sensitivity toothpaste for the last several months which has alleviated the acute, sharp and shooting pain into a milder shooting soreness upon chewing.
My dentist mentioned there is no obvious fracture line in the tooth. The filling is also not high, and has been adjusted out of the occlusion after I sought a review from my dentist one month after the procedure.
The tooth is not tender to percussion and responds normally to cold test. There is no pocketing around it.
Aside from a possible fractured tooth, I am thinking it could be polymerization shrinkage as my dentist placed the composite in bulk. My dentist also did not use any irrigation in drilling out the caries so may have irritated the nerve at the time.
I have attached a copy of x-rays taken before the replacement (with amalgam) and one month after the composite filling. I have noticed a dark line from the tooth centre and was wondering if that is a sign of a poor bond or nothing at all?
Thank you,
Jono
