My tooth aches when hot/cold touches it....?

Question

I have fillings in just about every tooth surrounding the area of pain...I went to the dentist, had xrays....then he tells me he doesn't see anything that would be causing pain....then suggests I see another dentist for diagnostic purposes....I am very irritated, and my tooth hurts!
My question is...can a filling leak or break off and the dentist not know it....and is it possible to see a dentist to have the tooth pulled without doing anything else?

Answer 1

Are the fillings recent? There is usually an increased sensitivity to temperature with recent fillings.

Answer 2

Your dentist sounds like a moron. It sounds like you need a root canal. It begins with sensitivity to hot and cold, then pain, then it gets worse from there unless you see another dentist. What is probably happening is that the cavity you had before they put in your filling was very deep. They had to drill out all of the cavity and plug it up with the filling. Now your tooth is very sensitive to hot and cold because the filling can only do so much and your nerve can actually become infected if the filling wasn't done correctly. Go to another dentist asap. It's not going to get any better, in fact I can guarantee that another dentist will take a look, ask you which dentist told you there was nothing wrong and they will say you need a root canal. Root canals aren't a big deal. It sounds really bad but it's not. They basically remove your nerve, (you won't feel it under the anesthesia) then shave your tooth around to make room for a crown. After that you won't ever feel any pain and the newly "crowned" tooth feels very nice and smooth.

Answer 3

Try brushing with Sensodyne or a similar toothpaste. It takes about two weeks for it to work fully, but it definitely helps. I had pain for about 2 weeks after a filling, and when I went back to the dentist he couldn't find any problem but gave me a sample of Sensodyne to try and promised me that when the tube was empty, my tooth would be better. He was right.

Yes, it is possible to have a tiny fracture around a filling which exposes the inner part of your tooth to air/hot/cold.

Dentists will almost never pull a tooth. Unless it is so severely damaged that there is nothing left to attach a filling to, they will restore rather than remove. You might need a root canal, which is a relatively routine procedure that should result in no further pain from the tooth.

Regarding going to a second dentist - a dentist will not perform any procedure without your consent, but they have a professional and ethical obligation to check your entire mouth and inform you of all problems that they detect. You can decide whether or not you want to fix them if the dentist finds other cavities, but he/she will definitely inspect all your teeth closely and advise you on the best treatment. If you are worried about finances, many dentists will make deals or work out payment plans. They are more concerned about your teeth being healthy than their wallets getting fat, honest!

Answer 4

Xrays are a great diagnostic tool, but they do not always reveal all imperfections. Has your doctor performed a pulp vitality test? Did he tap your tooth with the instrument, test it with hot/cold (usually dry ice is used for cold)?

Over the past year I visited 5 dentists to resolve a minor problem which ended up as a severely painful problem this past week. This past week I was unable to sleep, eat, go to work, etc. due to the severity of pain.

All 5 dentists took xrays between Feb. 2006 and Jan. 2007, the 3rd took multiple xrays over a period of 2 weeks in the last two weeks of Dec. The xrays showed a very healthy tooth, no infection, no fracture, etc. Yet, at the end of Dec., beginning of Jan. I was in extreme pain. Finally I was given a referral for the endodontist.

The endodontist also took an xray, and also saw what appeared to be a perfectly healthy tooth: no infection, no decay, etc. Then he gave me a vital pulp test - with dry ice - to determine whether or not the suspect tooth (and surrounding teeth) had feeling. The supsected tooth (with the perfect xrays) had no feeling to the dry ice - not a good sign.

When the endodontist opened the tooth, for further inspection, he noted I had a small fracture, very small, and it's not uncommon for a fracture to not show up on an xray.

At least your dentist is advising you to consult with someone for better diagnosis. I know it is very fustrating and you might be in pain, but at least your dentist is trying to help.

Answer 5

I would see a specialist as soon as possible, you may need a root canal, it could be the pulp inside the tooth is infected. I had something similar happen to me and went to an endodontist (recommended by my dentist) and he solved the mystery! In fact, I had problems for about 3 yrs. with pain, would go on antibiotics thinking I had a sinus infection but it's possible this could have been the problem all along.

Answer 6

The enamel on your tooth might be worn down.My front teeth are very sensitive to hot/cold at times.Try that Sensodyne toothpaste for a little while and see if it helps.

Answer 7

Well, if you have fillings in about every tooth, sounds like you don't take care of your teeth. Did you learn to brush your teeth?? IF you at least brush, try the sensitive toothpaste...

Answer 8

Its possible but it could be that the tooth or teeth in question,
the nerve might be exposed causing this pain.Is it infected?

Answer 9

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Answer 10

you might need a root canal..your nerves might be exposes..i had a cavity filled over top of it prior to the pain...then i had the same pain as you..i got xrays and i had a root canal....