Why Does My Tooth Still Hurt After a Filling?

edit_note Townsville Dental Directory editorial team · Updated 19 May 2026
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You have just had a cavity filled, and now the tooth hurts more than it did before — this is a frustrating but common experience. Post-operative sensitivity after a dental filling affects a significant proportion of patients, with studies published in the Journal of the American Dental Association reporting sensitivity rates of 10 to 40 per cent following posterior composite resin restorations. At Townsville Dental Clinic, we take steps to minimise post-filling discomfort, but some degree of temporary sensitivity is a normal part of the healing process. Understanding what is normal — and what is not — helps you decide whether to wait it out or call us.

Why Fillings Cause Temporary Pain

The Procedure Itself

Placing a filling involves several steps that temporarily irritate the tooth’s nerve:

  • Decay removal — the high-speed drill generates vibration and frictional heat
  • Acid etching — the bonding process uses phosphoric acid to create microscopic pores in the enamel for adhesion
  • Bonding agent — chemical primers are applied to the dentine surface
  • Composite placement and curing — blue light curing generates a small amount of heat
  • Polymerisation shrinkage — composite resin contracts slightly as it hardens, which can create stress at the tooth-filling interface

Each of these steps can contribute to temporary nerve irritation. The deeper the cavity, the less dentine remains between the filling material and the nerve, and the more pronounced the sensitivity tends to be.

Normal Sensitivity Timeline

TimeframeWhat to Expect
Days 1–3Mild to moderate sensitivity to cold, biting, and sweet foods. Some tenderness around the injection site.
Days 4–14Gradual improvement. Cold sensitivity may linger but should be decreasing in intensity.
Weeks 2–4Most patients are symptom-free. Occasional mild twinges may still occur.
Beyond 4 weeksSensitivity should be resolved. Persistent pain requires reassessment.

Common Causes of Ongoing Pain After a Filling

High Bite

A high bite is the most common and easily correctable cause of post-filling pain. If the filling is even slightly higher than the surrounding tooth surface, that tooth absorbs a disproportionate amount of biting force. This causes:

  • Pain when biting down or clenching
  • A feeling that the teeth do not meet evenly
  • Aching or throbbing after meals

The fix is simple: your dentist marks the bite with articulating paper and adjusts the high spot with a fine diamond bur. This takes a few minutes and is typically done at no additional charge.

Reversible Pulpitis

Reversible pulpitis is inflammation of the pulp (nerve) that will resolve on its own. It presents as sensitivity to cold that is sharp but brief — lasting only a few seconds after the stimulus is removed. This is the most common type of post-filling sensitivity and does not require further treatment beyond time and patience.

Irreversible Pulpitis

Irreversible pulpitis occurs when the nerve has been damaged beyond its ability to heal. Warning signs include:

  • Spontaneous pain — throbbing that occurs without any trigger
  • Prolonged sensitivity to heat — warm or hot food/drinks cause lingering pain
  • Night pain — pain that wakes you from sleep
  • Pain that increases when lying down

Irreversible pulpitis requires root canal treatment to remove the inflamed or necrotic nerve tissue. This is more common when the original cavity was deep and the decay had already approached the pulp before filling.

Cracked Tooth

Occasionally, a crack is present in the tooth before the filling is placed, or develops after placement in a tooth weakened by a large cavity. Cracked tooth pain is characterised by:

  • Sharp pain on release — you bite down and the pain occurs when you let go
  • Pain that is difficult to reproduce consistently
  • Sensitivity to cold

If a crack is suspected, a crown may be recommended to hold the tooth together and prevent the crack from propagating.

Galvanic Shock (Rare)

If a new amalgam (silver) filling is placed near an existing gold restoration, the two different metals can create a small electrical current in the presence of saliva, causing a sharp, metallic jolt. This is uncommon with modern composite resin fillings.

What You Can Do at Home

  • Take ibuprofen (400 mg every six hours) and/or paracetamol (1,000 mg every six hours) for the first few days — these can be alternated for better pain coverage
  • Avoid very cold or very hot foods for the first week
  • Chew on the opposite side to reduce pressure on the new filling
  • Use desensitising toothpaste (Sensodyne or Colgate Sensitive) to help calm the nerve
  • Give it time — most post-filling sensitivity resolves within two to four weeks

Ready to book? Contact Townsville Dental Clinic

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal for a tooth to hurt after a filling?
Yes, mild sensitivity after a new filling is normal and expected. During the filling procedure, the dentist removes decay using a high-speed drill, which generates vibration and heat near the tooth's nerve. The bonding agents and composite resin materials used also involve chemical and light-curing reactions close to the pulp. This temporary irritation — called reversible pulpitis — typically causes sensitivity to cold, biting pressure, or air exposure for two to four weeks. The deeper the cavity was, the closer the filling material sits to the nerve, and the more likely you are to experience sensitivity. In most cases, the nerve recovers fully without further treatment.
How long should a tooth hurt after a filling?
Most post-filling sensitivity resolves within two to four weeks. During the first week, mild to moderate sensitivity to cold drinks, sweet foods, and biting pressure is common. By weeks two to three, sensitivity should be noticeably improving. If pain is still present at four weeks, is getting worse rather than better, or has changed from cold sensitivity to spontaneous throbbing, contact your dentist. At Townsville Dental Clinic, we include post-filling reviews at no additional charge to ensure proper healing and bite adjustment if needed.
What does it mean if my filling hurts when I bite down?
Pain specifically when biting down on a new filling most commonly indicates a high bite — meaning the filling is slightly too tall and is absorbing more force than the surrounding teeth. This is an easy fix: your dentist adjusts the filling surface with a handpiece in a few minutes, usually at no charge. Less commonly, biting pain can indicate a crack in the tooth that was present before the filling or developed during treatment, or flexion of a large filling under load. If the pain is sharp and occurs only when you release the bite, a crack is more likely.
Can a filling cause nerve damage?
A filling itself does not damage the nerve, but the process of removing deep decay can bring the filling material very close to the pulp chamber. In cases where the cavity was deep, there is a risk that the nerve was already compromised by the decay before treatment began. If the nerve was on the borderline of viability, the additional stress of the filling procedure can push it into irreversible inflammation (irreversible pulpitis). Signs include spontaneous throbbing pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat, and pain that wakes you at night. This situation typically requires root canal treatment to resolve.
When should I call my dentist after a filling?
Contact your dentist if pain worsens rather than improves over the first two weeks, sensitivity persists beyond four weeks, you experience spontaneous throbbing pain (pain without any trigger), the tooth becomes sensitive to heat rather than cold, you feel a sharp edge or the filling feels high when you bite, the filling chips or falls out, or you develop swelling or a bad taste around the tooth. At Townsville Dental Clinic, we encourage patients to call promptly rather than waiting — early intervention often prevents the need for more complex treatment.

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