After Your Dental Filling

Numbness usually wears off in 2–4 hours. Be careful not to bite your cheek, tongue, or lip while you are still numb.

Avoid hot drinks and chewing on the treated side until feeling returns.

For children, watch closely — kids sometimes chew on numb tissue without realizing it.

Some sensitivity to cold, heat, or pressure is completely normal for a few days — and sometimes up to a few weeks with deeper fillings.

Mild sensitivity that slowly improves is a good sign that your tooth is healing.

If sensitivity gets worse over time or wakes you at night, please call us. This can occasionally indicate the nerve needs additional attention.

Your composite (white) filling is fully hardened the moment you leave. Your bite should feel natural within a few hours once the numbness is gone.

If the filling feels "high" or like you are hitting it first when you bite down, please call us. A short adjustment visit usually fixes it in 5 minutes.

A bite that feels off can cause headaches, jaw soreness, or tooth pain over time — there is no reason to live with it.

You can eat and drink as soon as the numbness wears off.

For the first day, you may want to avoid very hot, very cold, or very hard foods if your tooth feels sensitive.

Over-the-counter ibuprofen (400–600 mg with food, every 6–8 hours as needed) or acetaminophen (Tylenol 500 mg) is usually sufficient for any soreness.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be alternated for additional relief if needed.

A cold compress on the outside of your cheek can help if the area feels tender.