Filling sensitivitywhat could it mean?

[dopeysgem]

Had a filling along the gum line of molar #31.

About 10 months later I began experiencing sensitivity along the gum line by the filling to cold foods and sometimes air. Also felt discomfort when eating hard or crunchy foods. Irritation subsided after two to three weeks, then I had one to two weeks of relief before the symptoms returned. This second round of irritation subsided again within a few weeks and returned again after a few weeks of relief. Clearly there’s a pattern forming as I’m currently experiencing a third round of discomfort.

So, what is going on? Could the filling be failing or cracked? Could an abscess slowly be forming? Infection?

The gum was pulled and stretched away from the tooth during the procedure, so the dentist could have better access for the filling. But that healed early on. Could the sensitivity be gum related or filling related? It’s hard to tell because the pain is right at the gum line…mainly in the area where the filling is.

If it persists much longer, I will be visiting the Dentist. But I’ve heard that sensitivity to cold food could automatically mean the need for a root canal. Really scared to get that diagnosis and hoping it could be something a lot less serious.
Thanks!

 

[Dr M]

I would suggest seeing a dentist as soon as possible, so that the filling can be evaluated and an x-ray taken of the area. There is chance that the filling was too close to the nerve, or that secondary decay is present.
Don't wait too long.

 

[dopeysgem]

Thank you. As more time passes, I feels like the gum between my two back teeth is irritated. It causes the far back molar to ache and then #18 to feel sensitive to temperatures near the gum line by the filling and hurt when eating hard foods. The filling is at the bottom of the tooth, gum side, closest to the back molar. Something is happening between these teeth to cause several issues.

Can a filling too close to the nerve develop problems almost a year later? Wouldn’t I have felt it sooner? Could the filling have shifted over time and moved closer to the nerve through normal wear and tear? If so, how does that explain the aching in the far back molar? I even sometimes have aching deeper in the mandible behind the teeth on that side.

Does this sound like a nerve is irritated or damaged somewhere? Is a resolution a new filling? Hopefully not a root canal!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Dr M]

A filling that is close to the nerve, can gradually cause pulpitis. This can sometimes take a year or even longer. The sensitivity could also be unrelated to the filling. There could be a food trap that is causing the pain in between the teeth. Or it could be that you have an abrasion lesion ( damaged enamel ) close to the gum line, due to excessive brushing.
So all in all, could be a range of things and that is why we would need an x-ray to comment further.

 

[dopeysgem]

I had routine x-rays taken one week before the symptoms started in January. Everything was fine. Literally these symptoms started occurring about a week after my cleaning. They would subside after a few weeks, be OK for a few weeks, and then come back. After three cycles of this, now it’s just lingering and my jaw aches all the time now.

Is this something my regular Dentist should be addressing or will they likely send me to a specialist? Is this more for an endodontist or an oral surgeon to evaluate? I have contacts in all three fields from another tooth that sustained nerve damage from dental work recently. Trying to save time and money by going to the right person.

Thanks!

 

[Dr M]

Could you please attach the x-rays in order for us to comment further?

 

[dopeysgem]

Visited the dentist and endodontist today. Took a cone beam scan and found the filling is not touching the nerve. Did the illumination test and there’s no crack in the tooth. With my symptoms starting a week after my cleaning, the endodontist thinks that the powerful sonic water cleaning tool could have dislodged something with the filling.

She has recommended for me to see the dentist and have her contour the filling along the gum line. She said to make sure all the margins are intact and that the point of contact is secure. Does this make sense?

If that doesn’t work, the next step would be to redo the filling completely. I’m trying the least invasive approach first. Before we even touch the filling, I’m giving it a little more time with an oral rinse to help with gum sensitivity to see if that makes any improvement. The Endo is not concerned that prolonged pain will turn into any kind of need for a root canal or even an infection because The small filling is so far away from the nerve.

What should I expect when a filling is “contoured?” Do they just smooth the existing filling or fill in gaps and smooth it all again?

Thanks!

The images I have are on a CD. Not possible to upload at this time through a phone.

 

[Dr M]

When they contoure the filling, they smoothen the existing filling, making sure there are no overhangs ( excess material ) that might irritate the gum tissue, or small gaps in the filling that might lead to micro-leakage.

 

[dopeysgem]

Thank you. Seems rather easy and hopefully effective.