Is Tooth Filling Painful?
Fearing dental fillings is a natural phenomenon when the necessity to fill a cavity arises. Tooth fillings can hurt in some cases, but most are likely not to cause discomfort when getting the tooth filled.
If you are avoiding dental exams because of concerns about pain, we suggest you take a deep breath and continue reading. We will highlight the procedure for filling cavities, providing realistic information on what to expect in terms of pain and discomfort.
What Are the Determinants of Pain during Tooth Filling?
If you have a cavity, your dentist will likely recommend getting the tooth filled at the earliest. Fillings help reduce pain caused by cavities and eliminate severe infections. However, when left untreated, the hole can reach the dental pulp causing severe pain. Untreated cavities also result in the need for root canal treatments or extractions. When you decide to get a tooth filling near you, the dentist removes the tooth decay and restores it to its natural shape. The treatment makes your mouth healthier and more comfortable.
Dentist 82716 takes you through the procedure, explaining what you can expect and how extensive the process will likely be. Various factors determine these elements. Some factors that determine how much your tooth filling might hurt are mentioned below.
The Depth of the Cavity and Size
Tooth decay starts as white spots caused by minimal mineral loss in the tooth’s enamel. Unfortunately, the condition is progressive, and if the enamel continues to weaken, it develops into a cavity to require a dental filling.
Tiny cavities detected early are easiest to fix and cause minimal discomfort. Unfortunately, deeper cavities require more decay removal and time to repair and might cause pain during the procedure. Fortunately, dentists recommend anesthesia when treating tiny or deep cavities to ensure your comfort.
Number of Cavities
If you have several cavities located in a specific area of your mouth, dentist Gillette, WY, recommends filling them at once to help eliminate the infection. While it helps prevent additional visits to the dentist, filling several cavities might cause further discomfort because of the longer procedure time. You must hold your mouth open for an elongated period and might require additional anesthesia for the lengthy procedure.
Location of Tooth Decay
Cavities can develop in three varieties. They are smooth surface cavities forming on the sides of your mouth, pit, and fissure cavity appearing on the chewing surfaces of the molars and root cavities developing near the tooth’s root.
Root cavities are straightforward to fill when detected early. Root cavities generally occur if you have periodontal disease and your gums have receded to expose the soft root surface of your tooth.
How Much Time Do Fillings Require?
Small fillings generally require 20 to 30 minutes to complete after starting the procedure. Deeper and multiple cavities require more time.
Dentist Gillette, WY, dries the area of the cavity and applies a topical numbing gel before injecting local anesthesia into your gums. You might sense a minute pinch as the anesthesia starts to numb your tooth. After your mouth is numb, the dentist drills the tooth to remove decay and sterilizes the hollow space for the filling. Deep feelings might require a liner laid in for nerve protection.
Depending on which tooth is affected, you might receive silver amalgam or composite resin filling. However, the dentist completes the entire procedure, taking approximately 30 minutes per tooth to leave your mouth free from tooth decay.
Will You Feel Discomfort after Getting a Tooth Filling?
Your tooth will feel uncomfortable or sensitive for a couple of days after the tooth filling procedure. Mild discomfort is expected and normal. However, if you experience significant pain or notice swelling or pus, contact your dentist immediately for help because it might indicate an infection or necessitate additional treatments like root canals. When brushing and flossing your teeth, your gums might also feel tender and raw for a few days.
Getting cavities filled causes stress but doesn’t need to be painful. Tiny surface cavities are filled within 30 minutes with little or no discomfort. Deeper cavities require more time for filling if they are near the dental pulp. However, you can discuss anesthesia with your dentist to ensure you minimize pain and stress during the tooth filling procedure.
Mountain West Dental provides tooth fillings using minimally invasive procedures to eliminate tooth decay from your mouth. If you suspect you have cavities, kindly contact this practice to have your teeth filled.