Sometimes, a person who has just had a dental filling placed by a dentist, develops a severe toothache. In such a scenario the first question that comes to his/her mind is - did my dentist drill too deep and hit a tooth nerve?

However, in 90% of such cases, the dentist is completely innocent. Here's an explanation for what has probably happened.

Usually a tooth needs a dental filling for one of two reasons: tooth decay or a defective filling in the tooth. Usually, a tooth with either of these conditions already has some inflammation of the dental pulp. Your tooth might still be perfectly comfortable but some inflammation will be present.

The dentist you approach, prepares the tooth for your new dental filling by removing the tooth decay and/or the existing filling in the tooth. This process will cause further inflammation of the dental pulp. Finally, your dentist condenses the new filling material into the prepared cavity. This also adds to the level of inflammation present within your tooth.

So, you leave your dentist with more inflammation in your tooth than when you went in. What your dentist can't tell you is how inflamed your tooth is. There is currently no instrument to help a dentist get this information.

Most of the time the inflammation is reversible and the dental pulp will return to its normal and healthy condition. Otherwise, the inflammation is irreversible and tooth pain will occur and intensify over time. Ultimately the pulp will become infected and a tooth abscess will develop.

This whole process that I have described can occur without your dentist "drilling too deep and hitting your tooth nerve."

However, if you have tooth pain that continues and gets worse after you have had a filling placed, then you must consult your dentist. You will most likely need endodontic treatment to bring permanent toothache relief.