When Do You Need a Dental Filling? Signs and Symptoms to Watch For

A dental filling is a common way for dentists to address a compromised tooth, enabling patients to keep it instead of allowing it to succumb to damage. However, patients may not realize that they need a dental filling, so they allow the problem to get worse.

Not all tooth problems that result in a filling create noticeable symptoms, but many do. If your tooth is bothering you or looks unusual, it could indicate that you need a dental filling. Here are a few signs and symptoms to watch for.

Indicators that you need a dental filling

Many tooth issues that can be treated with a dental filling will produce physical symptoms. While they can begin as minor annoyances, leaving the problem untreated can cause things to worsen to the point that more invasive treatment is necessary.

Tooth sensitivity

One of the most frequent indicators of a tooth problem is sensitivity. Patients who experience sharp, shooting pain when a tooth is exposed to hot, cold, and/or sweet foods and drinks may need a filling. The sensitivity indicates that there is access to the sensitive nerve inside the tooth.

In some instances, tooth sensitivity can be more of a dull, persistent ache after exposure to a trigger. It should be treated with equal seriousness as sharp, sudden pain.

Pain and soreness

Tooth pain may be brought on by exposure to temperature or certain foods, but it may also exist independently. If a tooth is hurting with no apparent cause or the gums around a tooth are sore and swollen, these could indicate that a tooth needs a filling.

Pain is the body’s way of signaling harm. In the case of a tooth, bacterial infiltration into the pulp chamber is often sufficient to produce noticeable pain and requires quick treatment before an infection develops.

Visible damage to the tooth

Fillings address damage to the enamel, and few circumstances provide more obvious proof of compromised enamel than visible damage to a tooth. Some cavities are visible as small holes or divots in a tooth’s surface, which means a filling is necessary.

Change to tooth color

When bacteria reach the central area of the tooth, the blood vessels and nerves inside can begin to die. This may alter the shade of the tooth, resulting in a darkened or grayish appearance. Patients who notice that their tooth is not the same color as before should visit a dentist to investigate. A filling may be needed after a root canal.