Being pregnant impacts your everyday life in more ways than your cravings or how many times you need to go to the bathroom. It also affects your ability to undergo different procedures that you may have needed or been planning for, like dental implants. If you’ve already started the process, and then soon after found out you were pregnant, you may be wondering whether it’s still safe to move forward. Read on to learn more about getting dental implants while pregnant.
Weighing Risks of Elective vs. Necessary Treatments
Whether you’re receiving a dental or a medical procedure, it’s important to weigh your risks and make sure they’re overshadowed by the benefits to make it worthwhile. If you’re pregnant, you may be facing more risks than you normally would.
When it comes to dentistry, extracting an infected wisdom tooth or filling a cavity are considered necessary treatments while you’re pregnant, whereas dental implants may be considered elective. This consideration of necessity plays a big role in your decision. The infected wisdom tooth or progressing decay may present additional threats to your fetus or yourself if you’re pregnant. On the other hand, all effects of tooth loss can usually be remedied after your pregnancy. For this reason, waiting doesn’t cause any harm and minimizes risks of health issues, so it’s the preferred course of action.
What Risks Would Be Involved?
There are a number of risks you would assume by choosing to move ahead with dental implants while pregnant, including:
- Putting you under additional stress due to surgery, which could increase your chances of high blood pressure, posing risks to both you and your fetus.
- High stress due to anticipating oral surgery could also lead to early labor.
- Pregnancy can also impact some aspects of your immune system, which could affect your ability to make a smooth recovery following your dental implant surgery.
All-in-all, most dentists recommend waiting until after your pregnancy to receive this treatment, as the risks don’t outweigh the rewards if you receive it during pregnancy.
Speaking with Your Dentist About the Right Choice for You
The bottom line is that every person is different, and the best way to learn whether getting dental implants while pregnant is an option for you is to speak with your dentist. During your consultation, they will discuss all of their concerns and risk factors with you, and even if you aren’t a good candidate for dental implants right away, develop a treatment plan for after your pregnancy. That way, you can continue to work towards having a whole and functional smile, even while you’re waiting!
About the Practice
At DuPont Family Dentistry, Drs. John Ludu and Rhenu Sharma are proud to partner with local oral surgeons and periodontists during dental implant cases to offer high-quality results for their patients. We also see patients of all ages, so whenever you’re ready to come back in to carry on your smile restoration journey, we’ll also be happy to see your infant! To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 253-964-7000.