Hello,

I got my wisdom teeth removed 8 weeks ago. I had them done under general anesthetic and I had a cavity filled at the same time. Everything was great except last week the tooth I got the filling in (next to my wisdom tooth extraction site) started getting sensitive to everything. It started with hot food, but now it is everything. The sensitivity was on and off all week. Sometimes I couldn't get it to happen.

I went to the dentist on Monday and he looked at my teeth (blew air on them and made me bite on some paper) and no pain. (I think the air test would hurt me today though) He said the filling looked good, but it was deep so that could be the cause. He also said that the gums can get lower as they heal and that could be the cause.

Tuesday I noticed that the sensitivity goes away if food gets packed into the socket. Overall the sensitivity is worse
and I can barely drink cool water without jumping off my seat. I don't know what to do.

The sensitive extraction hole is bigger than all the other extraction holes. Is something wrong? Why is it healing so much slower?

Is it normal for a tooth to start being sensitive 7 weeks after? How long will it take to get better? I will be moving to another country in 2 months and I don't want to go and get dental work there because I don't speak the language yet.

I am scared that the filling was filled wrong or that my tooth is cracked even though he said it seems fine. Please help me!
Thanks.

Hi StyreneOxide,

The wisdom tooth on the sensitive side may have been angled a little differently in the bone than the others were and removing it could result in some additional bone loss in that area as well as next to the adjacent tooth. That bone loss could cause the gum tissue to recede a bit near the adjacent tooth exposing some degree of sensitive root structure. Usually cold temperatures will be bothersome on exposed root surfaces not warm or hot. Usually when the nerves inside of the tooth are inflamed or unwell, hot temps will be bothersome.

So you could be experiencing some gum recession there which makes the tooth react to cool temps. Also some nerve pain from the cavity and deep filling which may have inflamed the pulp making it react to hot temps. Either of these things can produce symptoms that are temporary or remain permanent.

The other possibility is that the tooth is cracked or fractured. This would result in temperature sensitivity to hot and/or cold. Sometimes chewing on it would make it hurt also. In this case, if the crack is not very deep sometimes the symptoms will subside on their own. If it is deep then the symptoms will get progressively worse over time. It can be difficult to diagnose a cracked tooth as the problem could be microscopic and/or below the gum line on a root surface.

It is important to clean that area well and be sure not to leave any food impacted below the gum line as that will cause bacteria and infection. Chewing on it will cause further irritation so it is best to avoid eating in that area for a week or two to give the nerves a chance to settle down.

If the symptoms persist or become worse than see your dentist again for an xray and evaluation. If you are concerned about the filling not being done well or want another pair of eyes to look at it, then get a second opinion from another dentist. Let that dentist take his own periapical and bite wing xrays for proper viewing of that area.

By any chance do you clench or grind your teeth? Those habits can cause teeth to shift out of alignment, fractures, inflammation of the nerves and pain to temperature and chewing. Moving can be very stressful especially when moving to another country. Perhaps a night guard would be helpful during this time? You could speak to your dentist about this and see what he advises.

Keep us posted on how you're doing.

Thank you so much.
The weird thing is that it started with mild sensitivity to warm stuff, but after I went to the dentist Monday it changed to more severe sensitivity to cold. Warm water is the only water I can drink now. I do find myself clenching more lately. The move is stressing my out and now that my tooth is bothering me it is much worse. I'm leaving my home in 2 weeks and worried I won't get to get this settled with my dentist here. I will be in the U.S. for a month, but I'd rather take care of this here with my dentist. I will look into a mouth guard.

Assuming it is just the gums receding (which seems likely since there is no sensitivity if food gets in there and blocks the root) when will it get better? Is it normal for this to just start now. I had no problems until last week. I started using a sensitive toothpaste. Do you think that is a good idea?

I will keep updating about my situation. I may call the dentist again tomorrow or wait until Monday to see if things settle a bit.

Thanks again.

Hi StyreneOxide,

You are welcome

So the cold sensitivity is less likely to be a nerve problem, which is good news. The recession of the gum was a gradual thing as the site was healing. So when it reached the point of root exposure, which can be so so tiny, that is when you got the symptoms. The tooth could also have a small fracture, not unusual. However, you stated that you are clenching and under stress... so you could be beating up that tooth without realizing it.

The area where the gum has receded will not grow back. So it is important to keep that area clean so it does not decay. You do not need to be aggressively cleaning it, just treat it like every other area of your mouth and be thorough with the brushing and flossing. If food keeps getting impacted in that area, have your dentist check it to see if he can alter the contact point to prevent food impaction.

It takes about 2 weeks to have a night guard made, although they can ask the dental lab to rush it. So this would need to be considered soon as you may need to have some adjustments to it initially. Your dentist may also be able to apply a desensitizing agent over the sensitive area. This eventually wears off and needs reapplication. But sometimes it can be helpful if only for a short term.

Tooth pastes made for sensitive teeth may be helpful over time as they work by way of a cumulative effect. Not instantaneously.