All I'm trying to do is figure out the heighth of the platform I will need to build to install a new shower stall. Oh and Marlin, I said that a hole was not an option for many reasons. Number one on that list is not wanting to turn a $3,000 job into a $30,000 job.
In brief: Generally.. As far as the filling itself goes, you can eat right away with tooth colored composite fillings, but should wait at least one hour with amalgam (silver) fillings. It's always best you ask your own dentist as this can vary somewhat based upon the size and location of the filling.
With silver-mercury amalgam fillings, some post-operative pain is expected. Since these fillings are metallic, they can conduct hot and cold to the center of the tooth quite easily, and the teeth tend to remain sensitive to temperature for up to eight weeks. When newer composite fillings hurt, the sensitivity is generally unexpected.