I had fillings placed on four molars about 5 weeks ago. Before treatment, I had zero pain or sensitivity in these teeth. Some cavities were diagnosed, though only one was visible on X-rays per the dentist.
During the procedure, my natural cusps were significantly reduced. The restorations now feel flattened with shallow anatomy and sharper marginal ridges, rather than normal rounded cusps.
Since then I’ve had:
- Bite feels off (front teeth contact first)
- Some molars don’t contact, others hit in unnatural spots
- Constant low-level throbbing
- Increased throbbing when chewing that lasts hours
- Intermittent sensitivity to hot
- Cold sensitivity initially, now mostly resolved
I saw a prosthodontist for a second opinion. Their assessment was that:
- My natural occlusal anatomy appears over-reduced
- Occlusal load is not being distributed normally
- The current shape reduces structural stability of the molars (they described it as similar to a “hollowed out egg” at risk of fracture)
They recommended: two crowns on the lower left (18, 19) and two onlays on the upper right (2, 3).
Questions:
- Is this level of cusp reduction ever appropriate for routine fillings?
- Can flattened anatomy and altered contacts cause these symptoms 5 weeks out?
- In cases like this, is it better to rebuild anatomy with composite or move to crowns?
- Is this something that should be corrected immediately to prevent fracture, or monitored?
I’m trying to determine whether fillings like these would ever be appropriate and if the anatomy needs to be restored immediately to prevent fracture.