Can Pregnant Women Have Their Wisdom Teeth Pulled?

During pregnancy, it is generally best to avoid any major dental work, including wisdom teeth removal. This is particularly true if you will need to have general anesthetic. However, if your dentist feels it’s very important to have the oral surgery done, he might recommend that you go ahead and have the procedure.

Dental Work During Pregnancy

While you’re pregnant, your first priority is to protect your growing baby. Some types of medical and dental procedures are best avoided while your baby is growing. This includes dental X-rays and most forms of anesthesia. Even local anesthesia is best avoided if at all possible. Wisdom teeth removal often requires X-rays and always requires some sort of anesthesia. If a tooth is impacted, general anesthesia might be required to remove it.

If you have any questions or concerns about any type of dental procedure, talk them over with your dentist and your OB/GYN. If the tooth removal is an emergency, you can work with your doctors to determine an approach that will keep both you and your baby safe. If the tooth has become infected, removal might be recommended to keep the infection from spreading, or you and your doctor might decide to treat the infection with antibiotics. If the tooth is extremely uncomfortable, you might also decide to go ahead and have the extraction performed. The best-case scenario is to have your teeth evaluated by your dentist before your pregnancy and have any major issues dealt with at that time.

Why is Wisdom Tooth Extraction Necessary?

The majority of people have to have their wisdom teeth removed at some point in their adult life. This is because most people don’t have enough room in their mouths for the teeth to properly emerge. They often become impacted, wedged against adjacent teeth and unable to move completely into place. This can lead to severe infection. When wisdom teeth come in, they can also move other teeth out of alignment, leading to malocclusion, clenching and grinding, or temporomandibular joint disorder.

Set up an appointment with our dentist by calling 972-307-7777 to discuss wisdom teeth removal options.