Does it hurt when a child has a tooth filled?

Children like to eat sweets. If they are not restrained, it may lead to bad teeth. In some serious cases, fillings may be needed. We know that toothaches can be quite severe. As parents, what we worry about most is the severe pain that may occur during the filling process. After all, children's tolerance is limited. So, does it hurt when children have their teeth filled? Let’s take a look below.

Generally speaking, whether filling a tooth hurts depends on the extent of the child's tooth decay damage. If the caries is shallow and has not damaged the dental nerve, it can be filled in one time without pain; if the caries is close to the dental nerve and is a little painful, you should try filling it first; and if the caries has reached the dental nerve, endodontic treatment is required. During endodontic treatment, if there is vital pulp, anesthesia is needed to make you feel relaxed and comfortable throughout the treatment process.

If you have cavities or chipped teeth, the sooner you have them filled the better. Early stage tooth decay or tooth defects can usually be repaired in about half an hour because the scope of damage is small, and the cost will be relatively low. If the filling is done too late and the damage is quite serious, it is often necessary to remove the dental nerve for root canal treatment, which will make the procedure much more complicated. In this case, it usually takes 3-4 sessions to complete. And the cost will increase many times. In more serious cases, the teeth may not even be preserved, so for the sake of the child’s oral health, it is recommended to fill the teeth in time to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Things to note after filling a tooth

1. If children experience slight pain after tooth filling, they can observe themselves first. Some slight discomfort and pain may disappear on their own. If the pain not only does not ease but worsens, or if biting pain, throbbing pain, pain from hot or cold stimulation, or spontaneous pain at night occurs, you should go to the hospital for follow-up examination and treatment in time.

2. For teeth with large areas of severe caries, the tooth is prone to fracture during chewing due to insufficient resistance of the tooth itself after restoration. Therefore, after filling, the affected tooth should be protected with a crown in time according to the doctor's advice to prevent the crown from breaking.

3. Go for follow-up consultation promptly at the time agreed upon by the doctor.

4. Follow the doctor's advice and do not chew food or hard objects with the newly filled teeth. Children should generally chew food on the affected side on the second or third day after a tooth filling to prevent tooth fracture and filling loss.