Temporary filling. What happens if you go with a temporary filling?

It is not always possible to treat a tooth in one visit - if the caries is complicated and the root canals are inflamed, the doctor puts a temporary filling under which he puts medications. It prevents medication from falling out, protects the treated dental cavity from food debris and microbes.

A temporary filling is made of a looser material. It is plastic and does not dissolve in water. For filling, dentin paste, sympath, vinoxol, and zinc-polyacrylate cement are used. The doctor chooses the material, taking into account the diagnosis and the condition of the tooth.

Temporary filling is used for prosthetics, if caries has not reached the nerve, when the nerve is removed. A filling is also installed in the following cases:

• treatment of pulpitis, periodontitis;
• deep caries;
• removal of a tooth root cyst;
• multi-stage therapy;
• making a dental stump inlay when installing a crown.

The period of wearing a temporary filling usually does not exceed 1-1.5 weeks, but sometimes it can be extended up to six months. The dentist determines it exactly.

Sometimes, after installing a temporary filling, patients complain of discomfort and pain. Why does pain occur, how to deal with it?

Indications for placing a temporary filling

• Treatment of deep caries. After cleansing the tooth cavity from necrotic masses, the dentist places a medicinal solution that helps the dentin strengthen the layer between the pulp chamber and the open cavity.
• Diagnosis of the condition of the tooth with deep caries before installing a permanent filling.
• Acute pulpitis. A temporary intermediate composition is placed while the nerve is removed.
• Periodontitis. To relieve inflammation, an antiseptic or medicinal preparation is placed in the area of ​​the tooth roots, which is then covered with light cement.
• Sanitation of dental canals before filling. The doctor cleans the canals, filling them with a disinfectant solution, then places a temporary filling.
• Prosthetics, restoration. The process of making an artificial crown or orthodontic structure takes several days. To protect against microbes, the open tooth cavity is closed with a temporary filling material.

Stages of placing a temporary filling:

• opening the tooth cavity, removing all affected dentin tissue;
• expansion, cleaning, treatment of dental canals;
• therapeutic stage (depending on the diagnosis, the nerve endings of the pulp are removed, medications are placed in the tooth cavity, and the canals are filled with temporary cement);
• The crown is closed with a temporary filling.

Signs of a filling falling out soon

How can you tell if a filling has fallen out? This is quite simple - at the place of its installation there is no material with which the filling was made, and there is a hole. Therefore, it is better to prevent such a phenomenon and contact a specialist in advance, even before complete loss.

Determining that the filling does not stay in the tooth and will soon fall out is also quite simple. Gaps appear between the tooth surface and the filling material, which are almost invisible at first, but become larger over time. The material itself becomes loose. This is felt when you press the seal with your tongue. If such phenomena are observed, you should immediately consult a doctor so as not to be annoyed later that the filling has come out.

Material of manufacture

Requirements for temporary filling materials:

• no toxic effect on tooth structures (enamel, dentin, pulp) and mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
• safety for human health;
• chemical inertness and high resistance to saliva and aggressive environments (alkalies, acids);
• mechanical strength, wear resistance, ductility;
• lack of galvanization effect;
• maintaining shape and size during hardening;
• good radiopacity.

The choice of material for a temporary filling depends on the clinical case, age, individual characteristics of the body (the presence of allergies to certain substances), as well as how long the patient will wear it.

What causes a temporary filling to fall out?

A patient may have a temporary filling fall out due to medical negligence:

• if the doctor did not properly dry the tooth cavity after pre-treatment or saliva got there before applying the filling material;
• if, after cleaning the carious cavity, particles of infected tissue remain;
• if the surface is not processed well enough, which will cause the enamel to destroy the material;
• if the filling is placed on a pulpless tooth, in this case it cannot hold tightly, because the surface of the unit is fragile, nutrients do not reach it;
• if low-quality or expired materials were used to create a temporary filling;
• if the tooth is severely affected by caries and the filling does not have the necessary support.

But not only the doctor can be the culprit of the problem. A temporary filling falls out when the patient does not adhere to the recommendations received after dental procedures. For example, he decides to have a snack immediately after leaving the doctor's office. Despite the fact that you need to refrain from eating for 1-2 hours. In addition, the filling may fall out if there is a large load on it (when chewing nuts and candies, opening bottles with teeth, biting thread, etc.). Its gradual loosening is provoked by chewing gum and toffee candies, toffees.

Intermediate filling materials

• A paste based on zinc sulfate and kaolin allows you to restore the crown of the tooth.
• Karyosan has an analgesic and antiseptic effect.
• Vinoxol is an artificial dentin. Withstands chewing load for up to 1-2 months.
• Cement with zinc and eugenol. It is used for antiseptic treatment of tooth tissue and relief of the inflammatory process.
• Glass ionomer cement is used for temporary fixation of the prosthesis.
• One-component polymer materials are pastes with a viscous consistency that harden under the light of a special lamp.

Possible complications

When a temporary filling falls out, not all patients immediately consult a doctor. Some people don’t rush to the doctor until the tooth starts to hurt. And in vain, since the consequences can be extremely negative:

• spread of the inflammatory process due to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms, which will require longer treatment;
• chipping of the crown, which will lead to the need for additional strengthening of the tooth;
• injury to the mucous membrane of the cheeks and tongue and, as a result, pain;
• the need to remove the unit.

How long does it take to walk with a hole? It's up to the patient to decide. But any dentist will tell you that you need to come for an appointment as soon as possible.

Make an appointment

How long does it take to wear a temporary filling?

Depending on the material of manufacture, a temporary filling has different characteristics of strength and tightness and can last from several days to six months.

Average duration of use of a temporary filling:

• 2-3 days, if a drug is placed under the filling that destroys the nerve endings of the pulp;
• 7–10 days while treatment of the inflammatory process with periodontitis or pulpitis continues;
• 2-3 weeks - for the period of manufacture of the orthopedic structure;
• several months in special diagnostic cases (when treating a dental cyst, restoring dentin after deep caries).

It is necessary to strictly adhere to the timing of wearing temporary fillings. If the time period is extended, its integrity and sealing may be compromised, which will negatively affect the health of the tooth. Thus, arsenic-based paste, if not removed after 2-3 days, begins to penetrate the dentin through the tubules, destroying bone tissue.

How long a temporary filling can be worn is decided by the attending physician, depending on the diagnosis and the chosen treatment method.

Removing a temporary filling is a mandatory procedure before placing a permanent filling. After removal of the temporary composite, antiseptic treatment of the root canals and dental cavity is carried out. Next, a permanent filling is installed.

What materials are used?

To create a temporary filling, your dentist may use:

1. Paste dressings based on zinc oxide - Cavit, Cimpat, Tempfill. Septo-pack is also used. They are cheap and quick to install. Their hardening period ranges from several minutes to 2 hours. The recommended wearing period is a week, maximum - a month. They are easily erased by opposing teeth, so they do not create discomfort when closing the jaws. But it is worth considering that they have low strength and under heavy loads they break and fall out. In addition, pathogenic microorganisms penetrate into the cavity through the gaps formed between the tooth wall and the filling. These fillings are white (except for Septo-pack, which is pink) and stand out against the background of the dentition. In the case of using Cavit, Cimpat, Tempfill, the doctor says that after the manipulations you should not eat or drink for two hours.
2. IR M. This is a polymer-reinforced zinc oxide-eugenol cement, white in color. The material hardens quickly and has a high density, so to ensure that the filling does not interfere with the bite, the doctor grinds it. The service life of these “temporary structures” is from 2 months to 2 years. If necessary, the dentist removes it by drilling.
3. Clip and similar light-curing materials. The main advantage of this type is the ability to easily and quickly remove the filling. But it does not create hermetic protection, so it must be used in combination with other materials. Due to its low strength and weak adhesion to the tooth, the period of operation is no more than a month.
4. Glass ionomer material. Fillings created with its use are durable and aesthetically attractive. You can walk with them for several months without fear of consequences. An additional advantage of the filling material is the possibility of partial drilling, when deep layers are used as an insulating gasket. This approach to treatment allows for maximum preservation of healthy tissue of the unit and protects the pulp from inflammation.
5. Light-curing composite. Typically used to create a permanent filling. But if the patient has a badly damaged tooth or needs to put a “temporary” on the front surface of the incisor, this modern material is chosen. You need to pay attention to the importance of a follow-up visit to the dentist. If the dentist says that the filling is temporary and sets an appointment date, you cannot ignore it.

The dentist decides which material is best to use after assessing the scale of the pathology. He will take into account the need to treat inflammation, the degree of destruction of the unit, the importance of the aesthetic appearance of the filling and the time when it will be convenient for the patient to visit the clinic again.

Problems that arise when installing a temporary filling

Painful sensations can be caused by an incompletely destroyed nerve, infection under the filling, or the development of inflammation.

The filling falls out or crumbles. If you do not immediately consult a dentist, the treatment will have to begin again with re-sanitation of the canals, treating them with antiseptics to stop the development of infection.

An unpleasant taste in the mouth often indicates depressurization of the temporary coating, when the medicine from the tooth begins to leak into the oral cavity.

Darkening of the filling, swelling or redness of the gums may be signs of an allergic reaction to a component of the filling material.

What to do if your tooth hurts

Discomfort and pain in the first days after the procedure are normal. If pain persists, you should consult a doctor. He will perform diagnostics and give recommendations.

If it is impossible to see a dentist, the following measures will help alleviate the condition:

• taking analgesics - Ketorola, Naiza, Analgin: these medications will relieve pain;
• rinsing the mouth with herbal infusions based on chamomile, sage, eucalyptus: the plant material is poured with boiling water, left for about an hour, cooled and filtered;
• rinsing the mouth with a solution of soda and salt;
• you can make a lotion from valerian infusion: soak a cotton swab in the infusion, apply to the gum next to the damaged area;
• if swelling has developed as a result of inflammation, antihistamines will help reduce it;
• Gels containing painkillers will help eliminate discomfort.

Important: these are temporary measures designed to alleviate the condition, and not an alternative to going to the doctor. Visit your dentist as soon as possible!

Correct positioning

Installing a temporary filling

Often complex treatment of pulpitis or periodontitis cannot be performed in a single session:

1. During the initial treatment, the dentist usually diagnoses the diseased tooth and opens it with drilling.
2. The tooth is processed, a temporary expansion of the root canal occurs to remove pus or damaged areas of the tooth.
3. After this, cleansing, removal of nerves and other manipulations during treatment occur.
4. A temporary filling is placed over the exposed tooth to prevent germs from entering the open cavity.

Such cleaning of the canals may be required more than once, so the doctor must wait until the patient is pain-free before placing a long-term filling. Once the toothpaste has hardened, you should handle it with care as it is usually quite fragile.

In the first hours, it is not recommended to eat food or chew gum. During treatment, switch to a toothbrush with very soft bristles.

Drugs placed under a sealed barrier

The service life of the temporary plug initially depends on the drug put into it:

1. Arsenic is used to kill the nerve in the tooth for subsequent depulpation. For this purpose, a number of other toxic substances are used, which help not only to painlessly remove the nerve, but also to subject the entire pulp tissue to necrosis;
2. To treat periodontitis or pulpitis, antiseptics or antibiotics are used to relieve inflammation. Such a filling is usually worn for about 20 days until the infection is completely suppressed.