filling feels like tin foil when I bite

[kjb131313]

I went to a brand new dentist yesterday to get a little, little filling in my back upper molar. I take very good care of my teeth and haven't had a filling in about 15 years. I was very young when I got them but I don't remember this....when I bite down on any type of food, I have the feeling associated with biting into tin foil. I went back again today and he took the silver filling out and put a new one in. It is even worse than yesterday. He then tells me today I may need a root canal. What! I just had a little cavity. I cannot eat on the right side of my mouth at all. He took xrays and did not see any cracks of any sort. I don't know what happened. Did he make a mistake and set the filling near a nerve? I am never going back to him. I am so uncomfortable with this. What do you think it is?

[Matthew Baron, D.M.D.]

If you don't feel comfortable with the dentist, you should go to one that a friend or family member knows and trusts.  It is too difficult to tell what has happened without examining you or seeing x-rays.  Good luck.

[TriciaAS]

What kind of symptoms are you getting with this tooth? Sensitive to hot? cold? hurts when biting? or nothing?
The feeling like tin foil makes sense since it was a silver filling. it takes a full 24 hours for a silver filling to set completely.

[mike1105]

if the filling is not deep, you should not be needing root canal tx. the foil taste usually goes away in a few days. i would get another opinion at this point, preferably from a dentist you are referred to by a friend or family member.