I went to the dentist July 22 for a tooth ache on the left upper side. When they took x-rays, they found one on the bottom also, so i let them fix both. He asked me if I wanted silver or tooth colored, I said silver, since it was cheaper and that is what all of the other fillings are. about 2 weeks ago, around the tooth where he put the needle in to numb it, was sore and irritated, so I started using Sensodyne tooth paste. Now this past weekend, I have been in nothing but pain. I have taken 600mg of Ibuprofen, 1000mg of Tylenoyl rapid release, Orajel maxium strength, they dulled the pain for a while. I have put whiskey in my jaw and let it sit there then spit it out. the only thing I found that really works in vicoden, which I have used the past 2 nights, but I can't take that all of the time. The pain gets so intense, that it goes into my temple and my ear. I can lay on my back or left side not on my right, or it puts pressure that makes my ear hurt. Has anyone else ever had this problem? I don't know how much more i can take, i don't think if I have them pulled it would hurt this bad.

Recently had a filling done at my dentist office.. and it was a small cavity that has had NO prior pain what so ever.. after the filling is done when I eat or drink something cold it shoots a sharp pain through it. I went back to the dentist, and he didn't even LOOK at it, just said it was common, and to do anything else would be very drastic..Such as root canal, etc.

THe first time the hygenist or some other woman did the fillings. He had called her in and asked her if she wanted to do the filling for practice... Practice?! I don't think I'm going back to this guy.. anyone had anything similar happen??

Hey everyone, I have been following this blog and i just want to say that I understand what you are all going through and I will pray for you all. My friends and bf although supportive, don't truly understand what I'm going thru and it's comforting to know that others understand.

I have been having tooth pain for 7 mos. I've seen about 4 dentists and 1 periodontist (gum specialist). The funny thing is no one seems to know what the problem is. Started out with a strange taste near my metal filling (which I think is prob blood). Went to get that checked out by a looney dentist who ruled it off as a metabolic issue. Was told to wait it out.

A few wks later, THROBBING pain which appeared to be nerve pain. I went to a new dentist. Unfortunately she said she needs to replace the filling and she completely messed it up. I asked for amalgam since i hate the way resin feels but since she didn't do metal, I had to settle for resin. She put waay too much resin so that tooth didn't feel like a tooth anymore, the bumps were covered. I went back and she couldn't adjust it properly, just kept shaving. It is awful feeling. Feels like gook caked over the filling or something.

A few months followed and I kept having sharp pain near that tooth. I went to another dentist and she examined tooth very carefully and checked for cracks on the tooth wall. While she was poking, she hit the pain spot and said it's my gum, not the filling! Great! That previous MFB dentist drilled my filling and it wasn't even necessary and now completely messd it up. Was refered to a gum specialist and the result was inconclusive, he said gum is fine and he is sure it's the tooth and pulp. His diagnosis and dentist #2's diagn were not agreeing with each other.

So I had pain back and forth on the nerve for months and since dentist didn't recc' root canal I had to figure out way to deal with it. Thinking back, I think the cause is that I must have brushed TOO hard one week with my electric toothbrush when I was really stressed out. i think I must have exposed some nerve. That's the only explanation I have.

I had taken prescriptions: Tylenol 3, Ibuprofen 600 and penicillin-- didn't do anything for me. Drinking alcohol actually soothed me more. I went to a health food store and asked if there was anything I could take for nerve pain. I decided to go towards homeopathic meds.

The consultant at the health food store was so knowledgable and helpful. She was telling me how many doctors don't know what they are doing (so true!). She said she hears ridiculous stories everyday from her customers telling her how doctors misdiagnose or recc' things that aren't good for them or just simply stating wrong info. I belive that sometimes when docs don't have answers, they make stuff up to sound like they know what they are doing.

So I thought I would share some of the homeopathic meds and vitamins that have helped me. Pls keep in mind that if you have been diagnosed needing a root canal, then this route isn't for you. I was told by the periodontist that there are 2 types of nerve damage: reversible and irreversible. And that if the pain is diminishing, it means it is reversible, the nerve is healing itself. If pain gets progressively worse, it's irreversible. If you had a small undetectable crack on your tooth, the pain would only get worse. So I only recc' these vitamins and homeopathic meds IF your nerve pain seems to be slowly healing and you want to boost up it's recovery!

Here they are:

-Hypericum Perforatum (Homeopathic medicine for Nerve Pain) 200ck. Brand:Boiron Cost: about $9
-Omega Fatty 3 Fish oil (to feed the nerve to heal) Brand: Minami Nutrition. Plus EPA. This is one of the HIGHEST grade fish oils so it's really expensive. Will cost you about $55 for 1 bottle (60 soft gels)
-Lecithin (for feeding the nerve to heal). Cost: appx $12.99
-Zyflamend softgels. Brand: New Chapter (helps with inflamation. All natural ingred. such as basil, rosemary, Barberry, turmeric (<--used for centuries for inflammation). Cost: $36
-Calcium pills and milk
-Vitamin B Complex (for nerve pain)
-Vitamin C (for repairing body and fighting infection).

I took the above recc' for about 3 mos and I feel that it has helped me. I am not sure if it's psychological but I figured that since they are natural, it won't hurt me. And I have already taken so much of that Tylenol/Ibuprofen/Aleve crap that it practically poisoned my body, this seems so much more natural. I have liked it so much I am continuing taking the fish oils and lecithin. I think my nerve pain has gone away so much thank god that I can finally focus on correcting this filling that the stupid B messed up. Btw, if you believe your dentist acted wrongly, you can file a complaint with your state dental board. Just look it up on the internet for your state. They have info on their license and also any past charges against them. Also, if your dentist truly messed up, and you have EVIDENCE, don't be afraid to get a malpractice atty. You can contact your State Bar Assoc for recc's and many work on contingency basis.

I strongly recc' if a dentist suggest any kind of invasive work that you get a second opinion just to be safe.

I wish you all the best in health. Please get well soon, feel better! You are in my prayers!!!

I've been having trouble with some of my teeth for some time now, especially one of them. Every time I had sweets or sometimes even if I would be eating chips or something, one of my lower left teeth would hurt like nothing else. I've been telling my dentist about it for years, even poked the hole on the top of my tooth that has progressively gotten larger over the years and KNEW it hurt. But they always told me it was nothing. Finally I moved to GA and went to a new dentist down here and they said, "Well it's not a cavity but we will fill it because we know that it is bothering you." FINALLY! So I made an appointment to get that filled as well as a tooth on the lower right. 8 shots of Novocaine, 30 minutes, no face mask, and no bite block later... and the two teeth are filled. I know everyone here is talking about the white fillings but I got the silver because fortunately for me, I was told the pros and cons.

After the numbing wore off I began to realize how bad my jaw really hurt (even though while they were filling my teeth I tried so hard to keep from crying from keeping my mouth open for so long..). I was told that I would be able to eat just fine in a couple of hours. I tried, it hurt soo much worse than just hurting when I ate sweets. It hurt ALL the time, the pressure of chewing (and not to mention my jaw hurting..), hurt like you wouldn't believe. I called my step mom and she informed me that all the drilling and the trauma done to my teeth was of course going to make them hurt for a while.

A month later and it still hurts. I can't eat anything without it hurting and frankly, it's beginning to really upset me. I miss just avoiding sweets, now I have to avoid EVERYTHING!

About a week ago I was towel drying my hair and the feeling of the towel against my hair really errked me. Made me cringe... like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Starting yesterday EVERYTHING began to errk me, make me cringe. Cardboard boxes against cardboard boxes. The feeling of opening mail, of envelopes rubbing envelopes... Of taking a cigarette out of a box and that cigarette rubbing other cigarettes. Just THINKING about stuff rubbing other things makes me cringe and I can't stand it. I can't stand the sensitivity in my teeth being this horrible and driving me this crazy.

I made an appointment tomorrow with the dentist, hopefully we can find out what's going on. But from the sounds of it here, they're not going to be able to help me... I'm just going to have to live with the pain.

Great. I go to a dentist to get rid of pain, and I end up with MORE pain.
Fantastic.

Wow I can not believe I am not the only one. I see that all these replies are from c couple years ago and I was wondering if a lot of people are still experiencing this? I recently got two composite fillings done after tons of dread. I am a huge dental phobe and it took me a lot just to go. Anyways as soon as the novicaine wore off I tried to eat and had a sharp pain go through my one filling, just in one spot. Now it is a week later and I still have pressure sensitivity and hot and cold sensitivity. I went back to the dentist and he said wait a month and if it still bothers me just to do a root canal. This seems crazy to me. I am so depressed and havent been eating because of it. I finally went and took care of my teeth and now I feel like it was a mistake and that it will never be fixed. The one filling I had done is fine however the other one hurts. I know he told me that this was a deep filling but he said I should have no pain. I am just hoping someone else had this situation and that their pain went away.

ok so i JUST realized that there was more then one page on this post hahaha. So I do see a lot of current posts now. Stupid me.

Another thing which I want to discuss about this filling. I did not even know that I was getting a composite filling until AFTER they placed it. I thought I was getting a metal one and was never asked which I preferred. I was told nothing about the prs and cons. Can someone please fill me in on the pros and cons of composite fillings. I know this is a little after the fact but I am kind of annoyed now.

Wow! Just to sit here and read all these blogs really lets me know I'm not alone. I went to the dentist 10 days ago and they did a few fillings (silver). They said it would be sensitive for a couple days, just eat soft food. Then after 8 days the pain was horrible, keeping me up at night and I missed class at college... not ok with me! So, I called the dentist, went in, and they said the bite was high. They drilled it down with water (ouch) and ZERO anesthetic. Is that normal???? It hurt so bad and that was 2 days ago and it's so bad. They didn't give me any pain meds or anything. I'm not sure where to go from here... if anyone has ANY suggestions, I'm all ears! Thanks
Kat

So I hear alot of people are having the same problems. I went this last Monday and the pior Friday to get my fillings. They were not replacing any old ones but I to am having alot of pain and headaces. I ask the dentist and she said that it could take up to 1 month fot the pain to go away.

This is so crazy I had no pain with the cavities I didn't even know I had any. I feel worse now then I did before.

I just want to find out if anyone is having headaces as well and pain in the mouth.
Thanks, Vegaslover

It is good to hear that I'm not alone in this. I had 6 amalgam (silver) fillings replaced with the composite (white) ones last spring. There was nothing wrong with my teeth at the time, the dentist just told me that they should be replaced and also the silver fillings were dangerous and that I could get mercury poisoning from them!! Ha, nice scare tactic. Well, I actually fell for it and I've regreted it ever since. Please don't believe that people, there is no reported evidence of anyone reporting any mercury poisoning from silver amalgam filings. You have a better chance of getting it from eating canned tuna. Hmm.

Anyway, I had discomfort right away. I had 2 teeth that were particularly painful and sensitive. It felt like they weren't my teeth anymore. Like dentures almost?! I couldn't eat, I couldn't drink, and the pain and sensitivity just kept getting worse. I went back to the dentist several times after that and had them shave down the filling because it still felt too high and rough, still nothing. They too told me that it was normal to feel discomfort and that I grinded my teeth and it was just like a bruise, blah, blah, blah.... But, it never got better, it just kept getting worse. I was taking ibuprofen everyday for 3 months. Then I started getting sharp pains in my stomach as it wears down the lining in your stomach and can cause ulcers. That was when I had had enough.

I went to a couple different dentists for a second opinion, one suggested a root canal, so I went for another opinion and the new dentist suggested that we remove the white filling, put in a temporary filling, see if the root calms down, and then put the silver amalgam filling back in. So he took out the white filling and put in the temporary filling - Heaven on Earth!!!!! It was the first day I didn't have a tooth ache, sensitivty, or any pain. I could eat normally once again. But it was short lived, it only lasts 1-3 months. I had to go to a different dentist becuase I moved and I had the temporary filling taken out (waaah) on one tooth and had it replaced with the silver filling, it's been a week, and once again I am in pain. I can't even drink room temperature water without sharp shooting pain. Eating is uncomfortable, it feels like the the filling is not solid!

I just don't know what to do anymore!! I don't want to take the other temporary filling out because I don't want to go through more pain with anymore teeth. I just can't live like this. It is ruling my life. I'm miserable! Had anyone come up with any ideas yet - other than putting in a temporary filing every 3 months? Ha. Waaaaah.

I have been 3 weeks now of constant pain, causing headaches and excessive pain like I have never experienced from a filling before when I eat anything hot or cold. I had 2 fillings, so maybe that is why it is so bad. Feels like the fillings they are using now are made in China quality and it cost $475 for the pain. After reading all of the above, it doesn't seem much sense to go back to the dentist, just suffer through it until it goes away.

This is worrying me.......I got 2 silver ones replaced at start of november and I'm still having problems when I try eating something. Again, I was told it might take sometime before they "settle". No one can tell me how long "sometime" is.......

Same story, two amalgoms replaced with the white stuff. (month ago)
Pain with chewing anything harder than gum on that side of my mouth.
I went back for an adjustment (grinding). Then went back for another.
I could finally clinch my jaw hard without pain after that one.
However I still (two weeks later) have the pain with chewing and during sleep.
All I can say is don't hesitate to go back to your dentist for adjustments -they should be willing to help at no charge. My doc has been quite willing. He does insist that the pain will go away.
BTW I do NOT have sensitivity to the hot and cold that others have mentioned.

I went to the dentist on Monday to address my #18 molar since a previous filling fell out, and only experienced minor pain when food was caught in the opening. They performed a digital x-ray, and decided that there was sufficient decay under where the filling was, and would need a root canal done. I said sure, go ahead and fix it. The dentist drilled out the decay and performed what I thought was the root canal, and filled it with the composite filling. However, I have to go back in 2 weeks and have the root canal finished...

It has only been 36 hours since the tooth was worked on, but the pain is unbearable. I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed, and did not have this much pain.

I think I am going to go back in the morning if the pain does not subside overnight and see what they can do to for comfort since this is really impacting my life right now with the holidays rapidly approaching.

Also, does anyone else feel nausiated after being given Novacaine or other locals?

I had 2 fillings on my top right molars 5 weeks ago. At first I had cold/hot and pressure pains where it would shoot up my entire jaw and into my ear so that I felt like I had an ear infection. I haven't gone back to the dentist because I figured they would tell me the same things all of you have been told, now 5 weeks later I only have pain when I drink something cold...its slowly getting better, so hopefully it just takes time. It does suck a lot to change the way your drtink/eat/rinse your mouth etc. but jopefully it goes away on its own soon

Update, on Dec 19 I went back to the dentist and they performed a bite adjustment and that relieved a lot of my pain, she also put me on antibiotics. It still hurts if I put a lot of pressure on the tooth.

f

I too am experiencing tooth pain, hot cold sensitivity after having a metal filling taken out and a tooth colored one put in. 2 months have passed and can not chew on right side or let any liquid pass over tooth. GRRR!

To the person who had teeth pain and trigeminal neuralgia. My father suffers from the latter, and has found cranial sacral to work quite well. Western doc's don't reccommend it because they don't really know about it, a few might. but do some research and to find a therpist you can go to the Upledger Institute website, the certify practioners. My father had relief after the first visit, and now controls the pain with a combination of cranial sacral therapy and acupuncture.
Good luck to you.

I am like all of you and am experiencing pain and extreme sensitivity since getting my composite (tooth colored) fillings. These were not replacements, just new fillings. I never even thought to ask if there would be any pain or what the side effects might be. Prior to getting the fillings I had no pain and only one sensitive tooth due to low gum line and partially exposed root. I always ate and filtered cold drinks to the right side of my mouth to avoid this sensitive spot. Mid November of 08 I had my fillings done on the right and left upper molars. I also got talked into getting sealant put on several of my teeth. I experienced throbbing and aching for a month or so and am still experiencing extreme sensitivity to hot and cold. I avoid drinking any fluids because of the extreme pain. I can't even try to get it to one side anymore because all of the areas are sensitive. I can't eat cold foods. I try not to chew my food, just mash it with my tongue and the roof of my mouth and swallow. Using a straw with liquids helps a little. I've also had some pressure sensitivity on two teeth in particular whenever I eat anything crunchy. So I have stopped eating any crunchy ceral, chips..etc.
I haven't gone back to the dentist because I don't have insurance as of the new year. After reading all of the above, I'm not sure it would help anyway. I guess I'm going to wait it out and see if time helps.