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I’ve had sensitive teeth after drilling of my teeth and I hate the whole experience. Can you advise?

I have ever been. Fan of the dentist so two years ago, after a three year gap, I went for a checkup. My dentist established I needed two fillings; one small one on my back bottom right tooth, and one between my teeth on the first molar in the top left. I went back to get the work Dobson two split appointments. The first one was so small I didn’t even have an injection for. It tickled but it was done and I was happy. The second one he advised id definitely need an injection for. He did it, my mouth numbed, started work, but it was very painful so I stopped him. He then did a second injection and started again-but I could still feel pain and I practically sho out the chair. He couldn’t understand as he was drilling to the edge of the tooth, not the nerve. He asked me if I wanted a third on the roof of my mouth or if I could take it for 45 seconds with as many breaks as I needed. I opted for the second choice as I knew the first would sting like hell. Anyway he completed the work but it was sensitiv as hell. He advised me that maybe the tooth was sensitive and I might experience sensitivity from now on, which I do. But I’m concerned that it is like that as none of my other filled teeth are sensitive. I’ve been back twice for my six month chck up as I’ve finally learnt the value of preventative chck ups. Last week he said he had concerns about a couple if shadow be wanted to X-ray my whol mouth-but as my husband lost his job money is a bit tight so I asked him to X-ray th right side only, and he came back said they are nothing to worry abiut. He said he would do the left next check up but I’m afraid if he finds that other tooth needs work again that it will be as painful as before. He is good with me and he allows me to stop and break when I need and he knows Im a total wimp as well. Just this one is bugging me as I’ve never had sensitiv teeth be I’m not sure if it’s that or if something else may b causing the niggling. My background-got top teeth out of line as orthodontist scared m when I was a kid. Had four wisdom teeth extracted in hospital in 2005. Had five fillings in my life, plus four teeth extracted as a child to make room. Parents teeth are also weak-mum is phobic, dad is a rhino and just sits there and takes any work on the chin with zero fear. Been with my dentist for 17 years, private patient, afraid to try new dentist as cant find one around here that deals with wimps sympathetically.

Hi
Im sorry you had an unpleasant experience with this sensitive tooth .
It sounds as if the decay had made the nerve irritated before it was done . In that case sometimes it is harder to get the tooth to be completely numb when its drilled , and it can be sensitive after the filling is placed .
The pain on drilling isn’t related to how near the nerve the drill is .
If it has been sensitive for ages now , it may be that the filling needs removing and a sedative temporary filling placed to calm the nerve down .
However there are some things to consider . 1. was it a white filling as they can sometimes cause sensitivity .2. You will need an extra dose of the local immediately , before it hurts rather than waiting till one shot fails then giving another . then waiting some time for it to work .3. Possibly ask for some sedative medication to damp down the anxiety you will be feeling after your last experience . The dentist could also have used an intraligamentary injection in the outside of the tooth near the cheek , which would have been numb as a top-up method .
Often what happened is a one -off .

Answer provided by: Dr Jennifer Pinder Retired
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