Failed filling - do I have to pay to get it repaired?

[Helpmechooseausername]

Hi, I had a filling in a molar years and years ago which caused me no problems at all. In the middle of February a corner of the tooth broke off around the filling. I went to a dentist who drilled out the old filling, refilled it and built the missing corner back up around it.

It ached for a couple of weeks, then seemed to settle down, but now for the last few days it hurts! Really sensitive to cold drinks and just generally aching. The gum looks fine, no signs of infection or anything like that. Doesn't hurt when I bite on it.

I've got an appointment with the same dentist tomorrow to look at it, but should I have to pay for it? I'm absolutely broke and the first repair cost me £300. Really can't afford to pay again! But my question is the principle - am I within my rights to not pay to get it put right? Obviously I'll pay if I have to but I'm not sure what my rights are. If I took my car to the garage because it was broken and they didn't repair it properly, then I'd expect them to fix it for free. But are dentists the same? Thanks!

If it was an NHS dentist, then it will be guaranteed for a certain amount of time, I think that’s a few months rather than just a few weeks.

I had a problem with a filling done by an NHS dentist and it was under guarantee for a year.

My filling was also guaranteed for a year.

FWIW tho I had a filling repaired just before Xmas and the sensitivity has just settled down. It ached for ages and a cold drink would have me jumping out of my seat. Hopefully it’s just taking time to settles?

Thanks. It wasn't an NHS dentist - how does it work with private ones?

@Pippa12 thanks, that's helpful to hear! How do you know if it's just taking a long time to settle out if it's got a problem?

just wait and see what they say - the dentist might be really reasonable about it. Replacement fillings after the tooth has broken are usually a lot bigger than the original fillings so the risk of pain afterwards does go up.

From the size of the filling you are reporting, sensitivity to heat and cold is normal and not a sign the filling is faulty.

@Helpmechooseausername whether you have to pay or not will depend on why the filling is failing.
If it wasn't put in correctly or if it was put in ontop of decay or infection then you shouldn't have to pay.
However if it is failing because the tooth is too damaged or its the tooth that is failing rather than the filling any attempt to save the tooth will be at your expense, but be warned if you attempt to save tge tooth it will most likely involve a root canal and possibly a crown which will be very expensive especially with a private dentist

It sounds as though you may need root canal, yes you will have to pay. It isn’t the dentist’s fault that you have a problem.
If the filling fell out then they would replace it free though, both NHS or private would in a short time. But post op pain- expect to pay.

Oh no, that doesn't sound very promising! So annoying as the tooth never gave me any pain at all, not even when it broke, but now I'm popping ibuprofen a few times a day to keep on top of it.
When it was repaired the dentist took x rays and said there was no decay in the tooth.

It will be the nerve. A filling can’t insulate the nerve like a natural tooth can.
You need to get toothpaste for sensitive teeth, like sensodyne. And then be mindful to not go from a hot food or drink directly to a cold one or vice versa.

You would only need a root canal if the nerve is infected with decay. The dentist said there is no decay so a root canal would be a waste of money.

This is a photo of the tooth after it broke but before it was repaired. The filling used to have tooth all the way round it, but the back corner of the tooth cracked off.

i think NHS is a year, when I had old black fillings replaced last year privately they are guaranteed for a year. On one of my teeth I had a few issues with sensitivity - used special toothpaste and different setting on my toothbrush and all was good. I did go back to my dentist on another one where it wasn’t quite right and it was repaired for free

That’s pretty expensive to repair the filling ( I’m a dentist)
however unless the new filling is defective in some way ( fallen out or chipped) you might be responsible for further work.
how long ago did you get the filling redone?
there is a condition called pulpitis ( inflammation of the nerve tissue).
this can be reversible, initially sensitivity which usually settles down within days or weeks of a new filling being placed.

or it may be irreversible where the nerve has some permanent damage and the tooth may be dying off. If this is the case, root canal treatment might be necessary to save the tooth.
Root canal treatment can be pricey, but it’s a very complex and tricky procedure where the nerves are removed from the inside of the tooth, the canals and disinfected, shaped then filled. It can take some time to complete. The dentist is absolutely not responsible for this, and the root filling would be at the patient’s own cost.

@agatamum thanks, that's helpful. I broke it on 17th Feb, had it repaired on the 20th. It then ached for a couple of weeks, but then seemed to settle down for another couple of weeks, but now it's been really quite sore for a few days. Aching and sensitive to cold.

I had this recently.. filling repaired then extreme sensitivity to hot/cold. Was told I needed root canal treatment. Cost me £800 plus cost of a crown £600. I was so upset as I had paid £175 for the filling a month before! Unfortunately seems to be that you have to pay for that or an extraction

There are no guarantees with any medical procedure. You had it done on Feb 20th, you need to wait at least another 4 to 6 weeks for things to settle down.

I was going to say this. The continued sensitivity isn’t great - but when lingering sensitivity/pain in response to heat - that’s when you’re generally in RCT territory I understand.

I had a similar problem with a filling that was done privately and I was in for two or three follow-ups and didn't have to pay anything extra, apart from about £7 for an X-ray to check there weren't any other underlying issues. My dentist was excellent and really went out of his way to make sure the problem was resolved without any extra charge.

I had one that was a pain. Filling replaced, didn’t help. Filling out and biodentine in. New filling. Settled for a while. Then sensitive to cold again and just a sort of achy throbbing pain. Ended up having root canal on the damn thing!

Argh! All these posts about RCT are giving me the fear! I can't even begin to afford it, so if it can't be fixed then I'll have to lose the tooth!
Seeing the dentist in the morning - keep your fingers crossed for me please!

That's what my fear was because it was so painful, but actually once the filling was ground down a bit to make sure it wasn't clashing I had a bit of professional cleaning (both at no extra cost), the use of interdental brushes and a sensitive toothpaste it cleared up and I have no problems now. For me I think the filling triggered some sort of sensitivity that took a while to settle. Go and see what the dentist can do to help before you stress too much.

Just in case anyone is interested!
I went to the dentist this morning. He x rayed it and could see that the filling was good, not touching the nerve and that the rest of the tooth was fine. So, it seems to be that the nerve is just being too sensitive and will hopefully settle down in time. He's given me Duraphat 2800 toothpaste to literally rub in and around the tooth to try to help. He did say that if it doesn't settle down at all then the only thing that would fix it would be root canal.
Thanks for your advice and fingers crossed!

Oh, and he only charged me the cost of the x ray, which was £8. Plus the prescription fee for the toothpaste, so I've got away lightly so far!!

That sounds similar to my experience OP. My tooth pain did eventually settle down and nine months after the issues started it is now totally fine. I did get the toothpaste as a freebie from the dentist in three little sample tubes!