Thank you for choosing The Grove Dental for your dental filling treatment. Your new filling has been carefully placed to restore the strength, function and appearance of your tooth. It is normal for the tooth and surrounding tissues to take a little time to settle after treatment. Following the instructions below will help keep you comfortable and protect your new restoration.

1. Wait until the numbness has completely worn off before eating. This will help prevent accidentally biting your tongue, cheek or lip. Take particular care with hot food and drinks while you are numb.

2. Your tooth-coloured filling is hardened before you leave the practice, so there is no need to wait for the filling itself to “set”. Once the numbness has worn off, you can eat normally, although softer foods may feel more comfortable initially.

3. Mild sensitivity is common after a filling, particularly to cold, hot, sweet foods or when biting. This is usually temporary and should gradually improve as the tooth settles.

4. The tooth, gum or area where the local anaesthetic was given may feel slightly tender or bruised for a short period following treatment.

5. You can brush and floss your teeth as normal. Be gentle around the treated area if the gums feel tender.

1. Gradually return to your normal diet as comfortable. If the tooth is sensitive, temporarily avoiding very hot, cold, hard or particularly chewy foods may help.

2. Continue your usual brushing and flossing routine to keep the tooth and surrounding gum healthy.

3. As the numbness completely disappears, pay attention to the way your teeth come together. Your bite should feel comfortable and balanced.

4. If the new filling feels noticeably “high”, the treated tooth touches before your other teeth, or it is uncomfortable when you bite or chew, please contact us. A small adjustment to the filling may be all that is required.

1. Most minor tenderness or sensitivity should continue to improve over the following days. Some teeth — particularly those that have had a large or deep filling — may take a little longer to completely settle.

2. Temporary sensitivity following a filling can occur and may last for several days or weeks.

3. Please contact us if you experience:

• • sensitivity that is becoming worse rather than improving
  • significant or persistent pain when biting
  • strong or lingering pain to hot or cold
  • spontaneous or throbbing toothache
  • pain that wakes you at night
  • swelling around the tooth, gum, face or jaw
  • a filling that feels loose, chipped or broken.

Persistent pain when biting can sometimes indicate that the filling requires a small bite adjustment, while strong or lingering sensitivity can indicate that the nerve inside the tooth requires further assessment.

For very deep fillings: when decay or damage has extended close to the nerve of a tooth, the nerve can sometimes remain inflamed despite the tooth being successfully restored. In a small number of cases, further treatment such as root canal treatment may eventually be required. If the tooth does not appear to be settling, please contact us so that we can assess it.

Dental fillings are strong and durable, but like natural teeth they are subject to wear over time and do not last forever. Fillings can eventually chip, fracture, wear or develop decay around their edges and will need to be replaced.

The best way to protect your filling is to maintain excellent oral hygiene: brush thoroughly at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly and attend your routine dental examinations and cleans.

Avoid using your teeth to bite very hard objects such as ice, pens or fingernails, as these forces can damage both your natural teeth and restorations.

If you clench or grind your teeth and have been prescribed an occlusal splint, wearing it as recommended will also help protect your fillings and other dental work.

Please schedule routine check-ups with us at least every six months to maintain your warranty.