Can You Get Dental Implants While Pregnant?
When you become pregnant, your body goes through many physiological changes—and there are a number of activities and procedures you should avoid during this time. A question we often get at Bergen Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is whether it is safe to get dental implants during pregnancy.
The short answer is that you can get dental implants after your first trimester. However, unless there is an urgent medical need, most dentists and oral surgeons recommend waiting until a patient is no longer pregnant to do so—for several important reasons:
- X-rays – Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that dental x-rays are safe for pregnant women, there are risks associated with the exposure of an unborn child to the small amount of radiation used in radiology. Even though a dental diagnostic x-ray focuses on the mouth area only, many choose to avoid x-rays altogether while pregnant just to be safe.
- Anesthesia – Studies show that dental treatment with local anesthetics is safe during pregnancy, but it is advisable to steer clear of general anesthesia that renders you unconscious.
- Stress – The American Pregnancy Association says that high anxiety levels in an expectant mother can affect the development of a baby. An elective surgery is likely to induce unneeded worry during an already stressful time. If the situation isn’t an emergency, wait until after your baby is born to proceed with dental implants.
Although it’s better to wait to go forward with dental implant surgery until after your pregnancy, you should still maintain good oral health for the benefit of yourself and your baby. Here are a few tips, as recommended in the landmark publication, “Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement:”
- Keep up good oral hygiene to prevent sore or puffy gums, a common side effect during pregnancy. Schedule a cleaning and checkup if you have not been to the dentist for more than six months.
- Bruce twice a day, floss daily, and rinse every night with a fluoridated, alcohol-free mouth rinse.
- If you vomit due to morning sickness, rinse your mouth afterward with a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water to stop acid from infecting the teeth.
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet that is low in sugar.
If you are pregnant and need to replace one or more missing or broken teeth with dental implants, call to schedule a consultation at one of our offices:
- Hackensack Office: Hackensack Office Phone Number 201-343-8297
- Westwood Office: Westwood Office Phone Number 201-664-5656
- Ridgewood Office: Ridgewood Office Phone Number 201-444-4137
- Franklin Lakes Office: Franklin Lakes Office Phone Number 201-808-8700
We’d be happy to explain the process, answer any questions, and schedule your dental implant surgery after the birth of your child.
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