Aftercare
Aftercare for a Filling
After a filling, you can usually eat once the numbness wears off, and tooth-colored fillings are hardened before you leave. Mild sensitivity to cold, heat, or biting pressure is common for a few days and usually fades over a week or two. A bite that feels uneven is easy for Dr. Lee to adjust.
What should you do after your filling?
- Wait for the numbness to wear off before eating or drinking anything hot, so you do not bite your cheek or burn your mouth.
- Chew carefully on the filled tooth for the first day.
- Brush and floss as usual.
- Take pain relief as Dr. Lee recommends if the area is tender.
Is sensitivity after a filling normal?
Yes. A filled tooth can react to cold, heat, sweets, or biting for a short time while the tooth settles, especially after a deeper filling. The sensitivity should ease steadily over days to a couple of weeks, and a toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help in the meantime.
What if your bite feels uneven?
If the filled tooth meets the opposite tooth before the others, it can feel high and become sore when you bite. This is a quick fix, and Dr. Lee can smooth the filling so your bite feels even.
When should you call the office?
Call if sensitivity lasts beyond two or three weeks, grows stronger, or lingers after the cold or heat is gone. Call as well if the tooth aches on its own, the bite feels high, or the filling feels rough or chipped.
Frequently asked questions
How soon can I eat after a filling?
Tooth-colored fillings are hardened before you leave, so you can eat once the numbness wears off.
Why does my tooth hurt when I bite after a filling?
The filling may be slightly high, or the tooth may be settling after treatment. Call the office if biting is sore, since a high filling is quick to adjust.
How long do fillings last?
No filling lasts forever, and how long it lasts depends on its size, its location, and your bite. Regular check-ups let Dr. Lee monitor your fillings.
When is Smile Art open?
We are open Monday to Thursday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. If you are in pain or have swelling, call us right away.
Related pages
Sources
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy.org: Composite Fillings
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy.org: Sensitive Teeth
This guide follows the American Dental Association's patient guidance. It does not replace the instructions Dr. Lee gives you for your treatment, which come first.
Where is our Seattle dental office?
Smile Art is at 901 Boren Ave, Suite 1030, Seattle, WA 98104. We welcome new patients from Seattle and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Seattle, WA 98104
HoursMonday–Thursday, 8:00am–4:00pm
Phone(206) 325-7200
The Cabrini Medical Tower garage entrance is at 1010 Marion St. The building entrance is on Boren Ave; Dr. Lee is in Suite 1030. Parking for a Smile Art visit does not require validation. Directions to the garage. Check posted rates when you park.