Can You Get a Tooth Implant During Pregnancy?

If you perform a quick online search for this question, you may see that the answer is “yes,” however, that answer comes with several caveats. Since every woman is unique in her pregnancy experience, it’s impossible to say the answer is always “yes.” The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association state that procedures beyond regular dental exams and cleanings, such as dental implants, should wait to be performed until at least after the first trimester or after the pregnancy ideally.

Consult with your gynecologist or obstetrician first if you prefer a dental implant. They will be able to tell you based on your specific pregnancy whether or not you should wait before getting an implant done. There are also other tooth replacement options that you can consider during your first trimester of pregnancy, such as a bridge or a partial denture.

Why Waiting Benefits Your Health and Your Baby’s Health

When you see a dentist for routine exams and cleanings during pregnancy, the dentist may use a local anesthetic. However, oral surgeons prefer to wait until a woman has passed her first trimester in more invasive procedures like dental implants, where x-rays and stronger anesthesia are often required. While studies indicate that local anesthesia is entirely safe for a mother and her baby during pregnancy, x-rays and deeper levels of sedation are not.

Dental Implants Can Be a Stressful Procedure

One other consideration is your stress level. Because implants are considered the most invasive of all tooth replacement options, many patients experience stress just thinking about it. Most women experience a level of stress being pregnant. But when you add additional stress from concerns about medical procedures, the effects on both mother and child are not good. Studies have shown that high stress in women may be associated with lower birth weight and with premature delivery. Unnecessary stress is not advised during pregnancy. Contact Great Neck Dental Associates today to learn about other tooth replacement options.

Other Dental Concerns During Pregnancy

Here are some things to be aware of when it comes to your oral health during pregnancy:

• MORNING SICKNESS AND VOMITING can lead to the erosion of tooth enamel. When this happens, it creates a perfect scenario for sensitive teeth and infection to develop.
• HEIGHTENED INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE leads to hormonal changes, increasing blood flow to your gums.
• CHANGE IN DIET such as craving sugary or acidic foods poses the same challenge as morning sickness and vomiting by introducing sugars and acids that erode the strength of tooth enamel.
• GRINDING YOUR TEETH to cope with the anxiety and anticipation of giving birth can lead to headaches, cracks or broken teeth, inflamed gums, etc.
• MISSED EXAMS AND CLEANING APPOINTMENTS compound each of the above conditions. We understand that visiting a dentist during this hectic time of life may be difficult, but putting your preventive dental care on the back burner is not recommended.

A few techniques that you can try for stress reduction include prenatal massages and making sure that you relax and recover from whatever caused you stress.

Welcome to Our Dental Family

At Great Neck Dental Associates, we provide general, cosmetic, and pediatric dentistry., We welcome you and your little one to visit our office for family dental care. The best time to bring your child for their first dental visit is when they are six months old.