Did my dentist file too much after a filling replacement?

Question

I received a filling replacement on my silver filling. After the dentist had replaced the filling with composite he asked if my right side (the side worked on) was higher. I said it was and he proceeded to file. After 3 times, the final adjustment, I thought he filed for longer than he needed to. Now my right side feel like it is not biting as well as the left side. I'm worried he filed more of my real teeth rather than the filling and feel this would affect me negatively.

Vachik Danoukh, DMD · Answer

Hi from LA!  Sounds to me like the doctor did the appropriate amount of filing to try to get the new tooth and bite to feel comfortable in your mouth. If you are still not happy with the way your bite feels and it seems a little off, go back to the dentist and have him check it again.  It usually adjusts itself in time, but do not hesitate to go back if your are unhappy with how your teeth feel!

John A. Merrill, DDS · Answer

Great question but quite challenging to answer. Generally 2-3 or even more does not automatically mean too much was taken off--actually it may mean the dentist was more conservative and micro adjusted multiple times instead of being more aggressive. Our teeth naturally erupt and shift to find a stable bite to compensate for normal wear as well. If you trust your dentist I would not be too concerned.

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