Teeth interdigitate. When you chew, the top teeth and bottom teeth sort of interlock for a brief second, repeatedly. Near the end of an appointment to place your filling or crown, we ask you to “bite down” on a carbon paper strip. This is to determine whether your new addition will play nice with others.
Two things can happen. When you actually give some thought to biting down, sometimes the teeth don’t come together in the usual manner. And, because you are still numb, you cannot tell if you’re biting down with the usual force. And we don’t want you to overcompensate with a “gorilla bite” at this point, because the materials haven’t achieved their optimum holding strength quite yet.
If you notice that this tooth begins to hurt after the anesthetic wears off, call our office. The filling might need a minor adjustment, which doesn’t require anesthetic. However, if that pesky tooth starts to have swelling around it, has a bad taste, or remains sensitive for three or more days, we need to see you again.