Why Does My Tooth Hurt After an Onlay?
Your teeth are susceptible to various issues that can damage or affect them. For instance, you can get tooth cavities or experience dental trauma. Fortunately, your dentist can repair the teeth through inlay and onlay in Houston. Read on to know what to expect after the procedure.
What Are Inlays and Onlays?
These are restorative treatments performed by a dentist to repair decayed, cracked, or chipped teeth. They are used when a tooth is too damaged to repair using a filling but not too damaged to need a crown. Inlays and onlays save the injured part of a tooth from further damage. In addition, they stabilize the tooth restoring the chewing function.
These restorations are made from porcelain, metal, or composite materials. They are custom-made based on the structure, size, and color of the tooth being treated. When you visit the Houston dentist with a decayed or damaged tooth, they will assess it first. The evaluation will help them determine if you need an inlay or onlay. Both procedures are simple and painless.
Why Does a Tooth Hurt After Getting an Onlay?
Dental onlays resemble partial crowns. They are placed on a tooth’s inside and outside areas or cusps. You will not experience pain or discomfort during a dental onlay procedure. It is because the dentist will administer a suitable sedative and anesthesia before the treatment.
However, once the effects of these medications fade, you will experience minor discomfort in the tooth and nearby tissues. Your gums may feel sore and tender, and your tooth may be sensitive. The soreness occurs due to having your mouth open for a long time during the procedure. You can also have pain when the onlay is placed higher than your natural tooth.
Fortunately, the pain and discomfort are temporary and fade within a few days. You can ease them using over-the-counter medication and warm salt water rinses. However, if they persist for more than a week, inform your dentist. Contact them, too, if you experience pain when biting down. They will adjust the restoration to correct the high bite.
Reasons for Teeth Sensitivity Weeks or Months After Getting a Filling
An inlay is also known as an indirect dental filling placed in the central part of a tooth. It is used when a decayed, fractured, or broken tooth requires a large filling. You may experience sensitivity after getting an inlay when taking hot or cold things or chewing with the tooth. Fortunately, it will subside within approximately two weeks.
However, some people experience continued sensitivity several weeks or months after getting inlays. The discomfort can be caused by the issues below.
- If your dentist places a filling incorrectly, your bite is disrupted. Continuously using the tooth may cause cracks to form on the tooth. Therefore, the nerves will be exposed, triggering sensitivity.
- Sensitivity can also occur if the tooth becomes infected after being filled. The infection will affect the nerves and soft tissues inside the tooth, causing pain and discomfort.
- You may experience sensitivity if you break or damage the filled tooth and expose the nerves.
- Another cause of sensitivity is an allergic reaction to the material used to fill the tooth. The sensation is usually caused by fillings made from metal alloys.
When to Visit Your Dentist for Sensitive Teeth
Tooth sensitivity after getting an inlay or onlay should ease in a few days to two weeks. If it continues past two weeks, then it signifies an underlying issue. Therefore, you should visit the dentist when the sensitivity continues beyond this timeframe.
The ache and discomfort caused by sensitivity are alleviated with pain-relieving medication. It can also be eased using desensitizing toothpaste. However, if the medicines and toothpaste do not reduce the pain, you should visit the dentist. Ignoring the issue may lead to severe oral health issues requiring expensive, invasive treatments.
The expert will examine your teeth to check for causes of sensitivity. If there is an infection, they will treat it and then replace the filling. When the sensitivity is due to an incorrectly placed restoration, the dentist will adjust its position. They will remove metal fillings causing allergic reactions and replace them with porcelain or resin ones.
Are you looking for a dentist to repair your decayed or damaged teeth or treat your sensitivity? Then contact us at Greater Houston Dental Arts.