What are veneers?

Veneers are a dental treatment that involves covering existing teeth with porcelain caps. The treatment can be used to improve the whiteness of teeth, fix gaps, or cover decayed teeth. The application of porcelain veneers is considered safe during pregnancy though some dentists will still choose to wait until after the baby is born to complete the procedure. The only known side effect of pregnancy that could cause an expecting woman to put off veneer application until after birth is that gums become more sensitive due to increased blood volume.

How does being pregnant affect your dental health?

During pregnancy, gum and tooth health is a constant concern. The growing fetus will pull calcium from any source available in the body, including teeth. Regular dental checkups are needed during pregnancy to ensure tooth health is not being compromised by a lack of calcium. Veneers cover teeth so regular checkups cannot be performed as usual. This could be another concern that needs to be discussed with the dentist before porcelain veneers are applied during pregnancy.

Applying veneers

The application of veneers requires the patient to lie down for an extended period. This could prevent women who are further along in the pregnancy from having veneers applied. If the woman is unable to lie down on her back for prolonged periods, veneer application for cosmetic purposes should be put off until after birth.

The cosmetic application of veneers is not the only reason for the procedure. If tooth decay is a problem, dentists may suggest veneers to stop the decaying process. Typically, X-Rays are needed to judge the state of tooth health before veneers are applied. X-Rays can tell the dentist whether or not a root canal is needed for any tooth. X-Rays are not safe during pregnancy and alternative forms of dental treatment should be discussed with the dentist.