Braces and Pregnancy | 7 EXPERT FACTS | LATEST 2023

Last Updated on July 4, 2023 by Gio Greenard

There is no known problem combining braces with pregnancy, but you need to speak with your orthodontist about your specific situation. The teeth and gums may be affected by hormonal changes during pregnancy, so orthodontic treatment may need to be modified or postponed. Braces may also cause swelling and tenderness in the gums for some women during pregnancy. During pregnancy, maintaining proper oral hygiene and having regular dental checkups, including orthodontic appointments, is essential to ensure mother’s and baby’s health. To determine what is the most appropriate course of action for you regarding braces and pregnancy, speak with your orthodontist.

Concerns

Some women might have a concern about medical image testing of their face and mouth during their pregnancy. However orthodontic facilities have protective devices to place over a pregnant woman’s abdominal region to avoid exposure to radiation.

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Make Aware Your Doctor About Your Pregnancy

• An orthodontist needs to know if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy before beginning any treatment. In some cases, a pregnant woman will gain a lot of weight, changing the size of her face or mouth. When this happens, a hygienist working at an orthodontic facility can collect a new mold of your mouth and teeth.
• Then make adjustments in the size of your Invisalign aligners to ensure that the devices work correctly. Alternatively, you might need to visit an orthodontic facility more often to have the wires on traditional or lingual devices adjusted when your body weight changes.

Discuss Your Orthodontic Treatment With Your Obstetrician

• When you are considering orthodontic treatment while you are pregnant, you should discuss it with your obstetrician first. While you may not have had problems with your teeth before pregnancy, some women have problems with inflammation in their mouths. This can lead to gingivitis or teeth that begin to shift positions rapidly.
• If you have been wearing orthodontic devices before pregnancy, there is no reason to have the items removed from your mouth. Once you begin wearing orthodontic devices, you should continue a treatment plan. Then you avoid having your teeth return to wrong places in your gum tissue.

Learn How to Reduce Your Orthodontic Treatment Time

• Concerned about the amount of time required for orthodontic treatment? Ask about new devices such as AcceleDent Aura that are designed to reduce the amount of time needed to repair your teeth. In addition, modern orthodontic facilities use computer software to create orthodontic devices.
• This type of treatment leads to having straighter teeth faster. An orthodontic office will also work with you to consolidate your appointment times by scheduling on the same day as your children, or you can plan an orthodontic visit on the same day as the visit to an obstetrician.

Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment Can Improve Your Overall Health

• Not only can wearing braces improve your smile but also, it can make it easier for you to consume a healthy diet. A diet like vegetables, fruit, and protein. If you have always had problems chewing food, then undergoing orthodontic treatment makes it possible to eat foods that have a lot of nutrients.
• When you are planning on breastfeeding your infant, wearing orthodontic devices during pregnancy can lead to improvements in your daily eating habits. Being able to eat high-protein foods along with fresh vegetables and fruit can lead to having more breast milk for your baby.

Orthodontic Treatment Does Not Require Medications or Anesthetics

• Concerned about taking medications during your pregnancy? There is no need to worry about undergoing orthodontic treatment because you will not require surgery or anesthesia. You might have some discomfort in your soft palate or gums from the metal wires or brackets of orthodontic devices.
• An orthodontic facility has soothing ointments that are not dangerous. Most pregnant women will require Invisalign aligners because they only have minor malocclusions. These soft plastic devices do not cause any pain and are easy to take care of on a daily basis.

It Is Easier To Undergo Orthodontic Treatment Before You Have a Toddler

• When you think that you are too busy to undergo orthodontic treatment during pregnancy, you should consider how much time it takes to take care of a toddler. If you begin orthodontic treatment during pregnancy, then there is a good chance that an orthodontist can remove the wires or brackets before your child is a toddler.
• In addition, when you are planning to have several pregnancies close together, you should not delay orthodontic treatment for several years because your malocclusions will get worse.

Orthodontic Treatment is Necessary For Emergencies

• If you have periodontal disease that is leading to loose teeth in your mouth, then it is imperative to visit an orthodontic facility. There you can seek treatment that will stabilize your teeth. The experts at an orthodontic facility can work with a periodontist to remove an infection from your gums to avoid losing any teeth from the inflammation of gingivitis. When you have an injury to your mouth that loosens your teeth, make sure to visit an orthodontic facility.

Conclusion

If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it is always wise to speak with your OB/GYN, midwife, or healthcare provider about any medical procedures. However, orthodontic treatment during pregnancy is perfectly safe. During pregnancy, please let your orthodontist know that you are expecting and put a lead shield over your stomach during any oral X-rays.

At Beach Braces in Manhattan Beach, Calif., we are able to assist any type of patient, including pregnant women. It is important to have straight teeth and a strong bite. And if you experience orthodontic problems during your pregnancy, then there is no reason to delay treatment.

Coping with the challenges of motherhood can be difficult,  but you don’t need to worry about the positions of your teeth because our orthodontist is able to find the right orthodontic treatment to meet your needs. Dr. Patricia J. Panucci offers state-of-the-art evaluations to determine if you need to wear one of these types of orthodontic devices:

• Empower or Empower Clear – plastic aligners
• Self-ligating – designed without elastic bands
• Lingual – worn on the backs of your teeth
• Invisalign – plastic aligners
• Aesthetic – made of color-matching ceramic

In addition, you can use the AcceleDent Aura system for 20 minutes each day to reduce the amount of time required for orthodontic treatment.

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Dr Patricia Panucci

Dr Patti Panucci attended the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for four years, where she graduated with a DMD degree (May 2000) among the Top 10 in her class. Following that, she headed west to Los Angeles to complete her three-year residency at one of the top-ranked orthodontic programs in the country – the University of Southern California.

Along with her certificate in orthodontics, Dr. Panucci earned a master’s degree in craniofacial biology. During those three years, she fell in love with Southern California beach life and decided that this was where her future lay.