I’m hurting after getting tooth bonding at the cosmetic dentist.

The cosmetic dentist recommended that I get a lot of dental bonding done on my front teeth to improve the aesthetics of my smile. He also worked on some white fillings done in the same sitting. It seemed like a lot of work to have done at once and now I’m wondering about it all because I’m in pain. The teeth he worked on are extremely sensitive. One of them hurts when I chew or bite with it. When I called in to discuss it with the dentist, they receptionist told me that I’d eventually become accustomed to it. I didn’t think I was going to be dealing with pain afterwards. Is this normal?

– Karen in Texas

Karen,

First off, sorry that you are dealing with some discomfort after your tooth bonding. That doesn’t sound like the correct response. You shouldn’t be in pain, especially when you are biting. And getting used to it, isn’t a reasonable response. It sounds like you need to call back into your cosmetic dentist and ask to speak to a dental assistant or ask the dentist to call you back to better describe the situation. A quick adjustment to have the dental bonding smoothed out should help to relieve your pain. If there is a high or uneven spot, the reoccurring chewing feels like a bruise and can be quite uncomfortable. Really, any kind of pain, shooting or dull, needs to be addressed right away. It will not get better all by itself. In fact, you could end up causing trauma to the tooth and may end up requiring additional treatment. So, give them a call back and try to get in at your earliest convenience.

As for the sensitive teeth that had dental bonding done on them. Try taking an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen to help the teeth calm down. It is not uncommon for there to be a little sensitivity after treatment like you have had, but it should subside in a matter of days. If it is still bothersome after that, you may have some tooth decay underneath the composite fillings or bonding. If the decay is too deep, you may end up needing a root canal treatment to heal the tooth.

So, first things first. Get back into the office to have the dental work adjusted. It’s a good rule of thumb to never ignore discomfort or pain.

Hopefully, you can get in soon and a simple adjustment will take care of it.

This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.