Why is a temporary filling placed, what functions does it perform and how is it installed?

• Why a temporary filling is placed: types of material
• Why does a tooth with a temporary filling hurt: the main reasons
• Standard activities after installation of the material
• Temporary filling hurts when pressed: how to cope with the disease

Many patients complain to dentists that their tooth hurts under a temporary filling. For the first 2-3 days, a slight aching pain is considered normal and does not cause cause for concern or panic. It is associated with the active influence of drugs on the nerve endings of the molar or premolar.

If the temporary filling hurts very strongly and for a long time when pressed, it is recommended to make an appointment with a specialist earlier than the specified date. Dentists at the reliable A-Medic clinic will conduct a thorough examination and prescribe a diagnostic examination to find out what exactly is causing the pain. All people are scared that they have had a temporary filling installed and their tooth hurts, but most often there is no reason to worry.

Indications for placing a temporary filling

• Treatment of deep caries. After cleansing the tooth cavity from necrotic masses, the dentist places a medicinal solution that helps the dentin strengthen the layer between the pulp chamber and the open cavity.
• Diagnosis of the condition of the tooth with deep caries before installing a permanent filling.
• Acute pulpitis. A temporary intermediate composition is placed while the nerve is removed.
• Periodontitis. To relieve inflammation, an antiseptic or medicinal preparation is placed in the area of ​​the tooth roots, which is then covered with light cement.
• Sanitation of dental canals before filling. The doctor cleans the canals, filling them with a disinfectant solution, then places a temporary filling.
• Prosthetics, restoration. The process of making an artificial crown or orthodontic structure takes several days. To protect against microbes, the open tooth cavity is closed with a temporary filling material.

Stages of placing a temporary filling:

• opening the tooth cavity, removing all affected dentin tissue;
• expansion, cleaning, treatment of dental canals;
• therapeutic stage (depending on the diagnosis, the nerve endings of the pulp are removed, medications are placed in the tooth cavity, and the canals are filled with temporary cement);
• The crown is closed with a temporary filling.

Life time

The service life of a temporary filling varies from 3-4 days to 2-3 weeks. The exact timing depends on the specific dental disease and the drugs used in treatment.

Here's how much a temporary filling can cost in different situations:

• when using arsenic paste to kill a diseased nerve - no more than 2-3 days (usually 24-28 hours), when using other means (for example, paraform paste) for the same purposes - 5-10 days;
• when using antibiotics and antiseptics in the treatment of deep caries or pulpitis - from 3-4 days to 2-3 weeks;
• in particularly complex diagnostic cases – up to 3 and even 6 months.

• PAPINEN DARIA ANDREEVNA

  Dentist therapist

  Registration online

• PETROV NIKITA ANDREEVICH

  Dentist therapist, pediatric dentist

  Registration online

• ALIYEVA (KILIMNIK) SVETLANA ANATOLIEVNA

  Chief physician. Dentist therapist. Pediatric dentist.

  Registration online

If you can’t get to the doctor on time, be sure to notify him in advance. In this case, if possible, he will try to place the most durable reflective filling that can be safely worn for several months.

Material of manufacture

Requirements for temporary filling materials:

• no toxic effect on tooth structures (enamel, dentin, pulp) and mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
• safety for human health;
• chemical inertness and high resistance to saliva and aggressive environments (alkalies, acids);
• mechanical strength, wear resistance, ductility;
• lack of galvanization effect;
• maintaining shape and size during hardening;
• good radiopacity.

The choice of material for a temporary filling depends on the clinical case, age, individual characteristics of the body (the presence of allergies to certain substances), as well as how long the patient will wear it.

Precautionary measures

In order not to bitterly regret the time spent in the dentist’s office, after installing a temporary filling, it is highly advisable to follow the following simple rules:

1. When brushing your teeth, especially if the filling has been installed for a fairly long period of time, use a brush with soft bristles. Otherwise, oral care is carried out as usual: brushing 2 times a day, you can use rinses.
2. Try not to chew on the affected side of your mouth, and temporarily avoid sticky toffees, chewing gum, hard nuts, bones and candy. Do not put pressure on the tooth while testing the strength of the filling.
3. Within 1 day after installation, it is not advisable to eat beets, drink coffee, tea, or red wine, as the filling may become stained.
4. Toothache will be relieved by rinsing with chamomile and sage decoctions, an aqueous solution with sea salt and soda. As for painkillers, it is better to consult a doctor. Aspirin should be avoided: it is ineffective against toothache, and in large quantities it harms the stomach.
5. The most pressing question that arises after a temporary filling has been installed is: when can you eat? Modern reflective fillings harden almost instantly, meaning you can eat food within 20 minutes. But this is theoretical, but in practice it is better to clarify this point with the dentist. In most cases, you can safely eat and drink 2-3 hours after filling.

It is important to remember that the highest quality temporary filling is not a suitable replacement for a permanent one, so you should not delay your visit to the dental office.

Intermediate filling materials

• A paste based on zinc sulfate and kaolin allows you to restore the crown of the tooth.
• Karyosan has an analgesic and antiseptic effect.
• Vinoxol is an artificial dentin. Withstands chewing load for up to 1-2 months.
• Cement with zinc and eugenol. It is used for antiseptic treatment of tooth tissue and relief of the inflammatory process.
• Glass ionomer cement is used for temporary fixation of the prosthesis.
• One-component polymer materials are pastes with a viscous consistency that harden under the light of a special lamp.

Signs of a filling falling out soon

How can you tell if a filling has fallen out? This is quite simple - at the place of its installation there is no material with which the filling was made, and there is a hole. Therefore, it is better to prevent such a phenomenon and contact a specialist in advance, even before complete loss.

Determining that the filling does not stay in the tooth and will soon fall out is also quite simple. Gaps appear between the tooth surface and the filling material, which are almost invisible at first, but become larger over time. The material itself becomes loose. This is felt when you press the seal with your tongue. If such phenomena are observed, you should immediately consult a doctor so as not to be annoyed later that the filling has come out.

How long does it take to wear a temporary filling?

Depending on the material of manufacture, a temporary filling has different characteristics of strength and tightness and can last from several days to six months.

Average duration of use of a temporary filling:

• 2-3 days, if a drug is placed under the filling that destroys the nerve endings of the pulp;
• 7–10 days while treatment of the inflammatory process with periodontitis or pulpitis continues;
• 2-3 weeks - for the period of manufacture of the orthopedic structure;
• several months in special diagnostic cases (when treating a dental cyst, restoring dentin after deep caries).

It is necessary to strictly adhere to the timing of wearing temporary fillings. If the time period is extended, its integrity and sealing may be compromised, which will negatively affect the health of the tooth. Thus, arsenic-based paste, if not removed after 2-3 days, begins to penetrate the dentin through the tubules, destroying bone tissue.

How long a temporary filling can be worn is decided by the attending physician, depending on the diagnosis and the chosen treatment method.

Removing a temporary filling is a mandatory procedure before placing a permanent filling. After removal of the temporary composite, antiseptic treatment of the root canals and dental cavity is carried out. Next, a permanent filling is installed.

When to see a doctor

If a tooth under a temporary filling constantly hurts, and the pain is bursting in nature and intensifies at night or during the day, you need to consult a dentist as soon as possible. The doctor examines the damaged tooth: if the filling has fallen out, he will put a new one and replace the medication. If the pain is caused by the development of inflammation or infection, the dentist will take action and change the treatment strategy.

You should immediately consult a doctor in the following cases:

• pain is accompanied by a feeling of swelling of soft tissues;
• the gums or cheek turn red, swell, and swelling appears;
• body temperature rises;
• the intensity of pain does not decrease within several days;
• when exposed to high or low temperatures, the pain intensifies;
• signs of general intoxication of the body develop;
• lymph nodes (primarily submandibular) enlarge and become painful on palpation;
• there is an unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• The temporary filling falls out, its tightness is compromised: cracks and chips form in the cementing material.

In such cases, the dentist will open the filling, remove the medicine and any remaining filling material. The doctor will disinfect the hole, clean and dry the root canals. If necessary, seal them with sealer and install a pin. After such treatment, an x-ray is performed - it allows you to evaluate the quality of treatment. Next, the dentist can re-install a temporary filling or change therapeutic methods.

Problems that arise when installing a temporary filling

Painful sensations can be caused by an incompletely destroyed nerve, infection under the filling, or the development of inflammation.

The filling falls out or crumbles. If you do not immediately consult a dentist, the treatment will have to begin again with re-sanitation of the canals, treating them with antiseptics to stop the development of infection.

An unpleasant taste in the mouth often indicates depressurization of the temporary coating, when the medicine from the tooth begins to leak into the oral cavity.

Darkening of the filling, swelling or redness of the gums may be signs of an allergic reaction to a component of the filling material.

Temporary filling hurts when pressed: how to cope with the disease?

People often ask the question: “if you have a temporary filling installed and your tooth hurts, what should you do?” When a tooth hurts under a temporary filling, this is a normal condition, do not panic. If the dentist said that there is no cause for concern, you should be patient and wait out the unpleasant symptom. When a temporary filling causes severe pain in a tooth, and you run out of strength to endure the pain, you can use the following recommendations:

• rinse your mouth with antiseptic and soothing solutions. You can prepare them yourself at home from natural ingredients. For example, chamomile and sage are poured with boiling water and the resulting product is used to rinse the mouth;
• do not allow food and drinks (mainly hot or cold) to come into contact with the treated tooth;
• take a painkiller (analgesic). “Nise” and “Ketorol” give good results;
• make lotions with valerian tincture. A moistened cotton swab of valerian is applied to the painful area, the gum near the tooth. This will temporarily relieve the irritation.

If a tooth hurts after installing a temporary filling and swelling or redness of the soft tissue appears, this may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process or the appearance of pus. In such a situation, you should re-make an appointment with a dentist-therapist. The A-Medic clinic employs qualified specialists with extensive experience. To make an appointment, just fill out the standard form on the official website of the clinic (indicating your full name and contact number). Prices are affordable, and consultation with a dentist is completely free.

Why can a temporary filling fall out?

When a temporary filling falls out the next day, most patients believe that the doctor’s unprofessionalism is to blame. However, there can be many reasons, including violation of the dentist’s recommendations by the patient himself.

A dental mistake is considered to be a violation of the tooth filling process:

• insufficient drying of the internal cavity and crown;
• leaving tissue affected by infection;
• insufficient crown treatment;
• placement of a large volume of material in the cavity;
• insufficiently tight closure of the cavity;
• poor-quality composition of the filling;
• installation on a pulpless tooth.

The reason may also be the patient's behavior:

• eating sweets, especially foods with increased stickiness (for example, toffee);
• eating solid foods;
• biting nuts, seeds, etc.;
• insufficient oral hygiene or, conversely, excessive brush pressure on a filled tooth;
• constant contact with the seal of the tongue, cutlery, pens, etc.

It is necessary to establish the reason why the temporary filling fell out to avoid a repeat incident.

How to care.

Dentists recommend:

• refuse food and drink for at least 2 hours;
• refrain from too hard, sticky, viscous, cold and hot drinks;
• Chew food with the opposite side whenever possible;
• When cleaning, use only a brush with soft bristles;
• Be sure to rinse your mouth with antiseptic solutions after each meal.

If a temporary filling falls out or is partially destroyed, you should immediately consult a doctor to restore its integrity, so as not to provoke the entry of a bacterial environment into the tooth cavity.

When the temporary barrier or the medication underneath it has expired, the dentist removes it and replaces it with a permanent filling. First, the doctor will remove the medicine or temporary composition filling the tooth, disinfect the canals, treat the cavity with antiseptic solutions and install a permanent filling.

Drugs placed under a sealed barrier

The service life of the temporary plug initially depends on the drug put into it:

1. Arsenic is used to kill the nerve in the tooth for subsequent depulpation. For this purpose, a number of other toxic substances are used, which help not only to painlessly remove the nerve, but also to subject the entire pulp tissue to necrosis;
2. To treat periodontitis or pulpitis, antiseptics or antibiotics are used to relieve inflammation. Such a filling is usually worn for about 20 days until the infection is completely suppressed.

Why do they put a temporary filling?

In cases where there is a pathological process in the root canals, preliminary treatment with various medicinal compounds is required. In order for the medicine to remain in the canal for the required period, it is secured by installing a temporary filling. It also acts as a protective barrier against germs, bacteria and food debris that can get into the cavity of a diseased tooth.

Main indications for temporary tooth closure:

1. Isolation of therapeutic antiseptic pad.
2. Inflammation of the pulp (pulpitis). For this, arsenic paste is used to destroy the nerve of the tooth.
3. Deep caries with damage to dentin.
4. Periodontitis.
5. Manufacturing of ceramic permanent inlay.
6. The need to reschedule treatment.

Sometimes temporary filling is used for diagnostic purposes. If caries has damaged the deep layers, then it is impossible to find out exactly how damaged the pulp is. Therefore, the doctor must observe the tooth to choose the optimal treatment. The absence of pain indicates the vitality of the tooth, which means there is no need to remove the nerve.

What causes a temporary filling to fall out?

A patient may have a temporary filling fall out due to medical negligence:

• if the doctor did not properly dry the tooth cavity after pre-treatment or saliva got there before applying the filling material;
• if, after cleaning the carious cavity, particles of infected tissue remain;
• if the surface is not processed well enough, which will cause the enamel to destroy the material;
• if the filling is placed on a pulpless tooth, in this case it cannot hold tightly, because the surface of the unit is fragile, nutrients do not reach it;
• if low-quality or expired materials were used to create a temporary filling;
• if the tooth is severely affected by caries and the filling does not have the necessary support.

But not only the doctor can be the culprit of the problem. A temporary filling falls out when the patient does not adhere to the recommendations received after dental procedures. For example, he decides to have a snack immediately after leaving the doctor's office. Despite the fact that you need to refrain from eating for 1-2 hours. In addition, the filling may fall out if there is a large load on it (when chewing nuts and candies, opening bottles with teeth, biting thread, etc.). Its gradual loosening is provoked by chewing gum and toffee candies, toffees.

Necessary actions if a filling falls out

It is important to know what to do if a filling falls out. It is advisable to immediately make an appointment with a dentist, but in some cases it is not possible to urgently visit a doctor. When a filling has come out of a tooth, you can do without it for a short time, but only for a certain time.

If treatment is delayed, the tooth may become infected, leading to acute pain and gradual destruction. It is important to visit a specialist in a timely manner, regardless of whether the filling is permanent or temporary.

But it is better to avoid such a situation and visit the dentist at the stage of loosening. Any gap or even minimal gap between the tooth and the filling is a place for bacteria to enter.

And if you don’t pay attention to such a problem in time, then you shouldn’t be surprised that the filling has fallen out between the teeth.

Most often, such troubles occur with molars. They experience a lot of stress and the filling material can be destroyed if you often eat solid foods. Fillings on the front tooth fall out much less frequently.