TMJ Disorder

Problems that a High Filling Can Cause

Fillings and Inlays

Sep 12, 2011

High Dental Filling Problems — ©Adam Gregor/Shutterstock.com

Many people wonder what they should do when they come home from the dentist after getting a filling and notice that their bite isn’t quite right. If you end up having problems with a filling, it’s always best to check back with your dentist to see if you have a high filling.

If your filling is high, the dentist can simply smooth it down. Smoothing down a filling is usually a quick procedure and doesn’t require any injections.

Here are seven problems that a high filling can cause.

Problems That a High Filling Can Cause

Keep in mind that some people with a high filling may experience many of these problems while others might not go through any of these difficulties.

1 – Biting Pain

The ligament may become inflamed around the tooth, causing the tooth to hurt when you bite down on it. This may affect the tooth with the high filling, but it can also affect other teeth if the high filling has thrown off your bite.

2 – Aching and Sensitivity

The tooth may develop pulpitis. It could become sensitive to hot and cold or it may simply ache.

Find out more about pulpitis here.

3 – Excessive Tooth Wear

The tooth can wear down rapidly. Also, other teeth may wear down if the high filling causes you to shift your bite slightly.

Learn about the four ways that your teeth get worn down.

4 – Loose Teeth

The tooth can become loose. If the high filling causes your jaw to shift, other teeth can become loose if they are subjected to high forces that didn’t exist before the high filling.

5 – Muscle Pain

The muscles in your jaw can ache because your bite has changed and the muscles are forced to adapt after so many years of moving your jaw in it’s natural bite. This can make it difficult to open your mouth and/or chew your food.

6 – TMJ Problems

Problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can occur due to the abnormal movement that now takes place due to the high filling.

7 – Headaches and Stress

The muscle pain coupled with the TMJ pain can bring on headaches and increased stress in your life.

Don’t Ignore a High Filling

If you think that you have a high filling and you are in pain, it’s a good idea to get it checked out before a small problem turns into a bigger one.

If you have any questions, comments, or personal experiences, please share them below!

A Popping Click When You Open Your Jaw Is Pretty Common

Jun 16, 2010

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Popping and Clicking in Jaw is Normal — ©Absolutimages/Shutterstock.com

If you experience a popping sound, a grating sound, or a click when you open your mouth, you’re not alone.

Many people have slight problems with their jaw joint, which is formally known as the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ for short. Whenever we want to open our mouth, our jaw glides down and forward to allow our mouth to open.

The rounded end of the jaw bone that glides down is called the condyle. Between the condyle and our skull, there is a small, soft, lubricated disk that allows our jaw to open smoothly. This is called the articular disk.

Sometimes, that disk may not be big enough, or it may not be the right shape to allow the jaw bone to smoothly glide forward and down when you open your mouth. When this happens, it is a condition known as crepitus.

Crepitus is a word that is used to describe the grating, crackling, and/or popping sounds that are heard around people’s joints.

Unfortunately, not everyone has jaw joints. When I open my mouth, my jaw slides down and out nicely on the right side, but on my left side, there is a loud popping noise. Luckily this only happens when I open my mouth really wide, so it doesn’t affect me when I chew gum or eat (unless it’s a really big hamburger!)

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