Hello.
On Monday I went to the dentist because of pain in an upper second molar that had been filled some time ago. She opened the tooth and placed some black medication inside to calm the nerve. It is now Wednesday and the tooth hurts when I press or bite on it. The pain is not very severe, but it is unpleasant. I would like to know whether this type of pain is to be expected or whether I should go back immediately. My next appointment is in a little over a week. Thank you for your answer.

Dear Sir/Madam!

Pain after filling is a relatively common problem when extensive removal of diseased dentine is necessary. The treatment in this case is devitalisation of the tooth, i.e. removal of the vital dental pulp, which is carried out by means of “root canal treatment”. As part of first aid, a substance was placed in the tooth that caused the dental pulp to die. It is difficult to predict the course of subjective symptoms (decrease or increase in pain...) immediately after the procedure, but moderate pain for a few days can certainly be expected. The substance mentioned needs to be removed within a few days, the root canals cleaned, and a substance for sterilising the root canals placed in them, thereby preparing them for filling.

Have a nice day!