No one wants to welcome their baby into the world with an incomplete smile. No matter if it’s just one tooth or an entire row, smiling at your little one shouldn’t cause you to feel self-conscious or ashamed. Dental implants remain one of the most popular forms of tooth replacement, but can you have them put into place while pregnant? Read on to learn what steps you should take to safeguard your baby and your oral health during this time.
Can Pregnancy Inhibit Your Ability to Receive Dental Implants?
Receiving dental implants while pregnant is not a procedure most dentists suggest. While replacing a missing tooth is essential if bone resorption is to be avoided, pregnancy is not the time to hurry the placement process.
Instead, pregnant women are encouraged to start the conversation and wait until after the baby is born to move forward with dental implant placement. Why? There are a few reasons:
- Placing dental implants requires anesthesia. While most experts admit local anesthesia is fine for those who are pregnant, stronger forms can be harmful to the mother and baby.
- X-rays are necessary when preparing for dental implant placement; the American Dental Association discourages women from receiving these scans during the first trimester because of the risk they pose.
- The chances of implant failure increase because of the changes that occur during pregnancy. If the immune system is not strong enough, the implants will be unable to heal and fuse properly with the jawbone. This makes the procedure riskier, as prolonged recovery can cause an infection to form.
What Should Pregnant Women Do?
While the wait for dental implants may be bothersome for some pregnant women, it’s important that the baby and mother remain safe throughout these nine months.
While pregnant, women can talk to their dentist about ways to take proper care of their oral health so that when the time comes to receive these prosthetics, their mouth is in optimal shape. With the arrival of the second trimester, a woman can receive dental X-rays, as they are considered safe at this point, and be evaluated for dental implant candidacy.
After birth, women can receive a bone graft to achieve a denser jawbone to support their future dental implants if it is required. Once given the green light by their dentist, they can move forward with oral surgery and receive their dental implants.
Pregnancy may not be the ideal time to replace missing teeth, but it doesn’t have to halt the process completely. A dentist can keep things moving throughout these nine months so that once the baby arrives, the next step is a full, complete, and beautiful smile.
About the Author
Dr. Kevin Grill is an experienced dentist who makes it his mission to provide convenient oral healthcare to patients of all ages. When treating individuals with missing teeth, he is pleased to offer start-to-finish dental implant placement and restoration in-house, making it easier for people to get the care they need all under one roof. If you no longer want to see an incomplete smile staring back at you in the mirror, contact us at (937) 843-3932 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Grill.