Pregnancy and Tooth Bonding
One thing I hate about pregnancy is looking like a fat lady with a temper. I don’t even bother smiling for a picture since my teeth was nowhere near perfect. I was apprehensive about consulting a dentist because it might harm my little baby. I stayed home most of the time and continued to feel bad about how I look.
I guess I got fed up being helpless, I decided to take matters in my hands – I scheduled a visit to a cosmetic dentist. I informed the cosmetic dentist that I was about 5 months pregnant. I explained that I wanted a smile that was fit for welcoming my new baby.
After a careful and thorough examination, he suggested that I go through a procedure known as tooth bonding. Tooth bonding is a cosmetic dentistry technique that is applied directly to the tooth and cured to its final hardness, usually with a light. It is made of particles like silicon dioxide or quartz, bound with a tough synthetic resin to close gaps or get rid of spots, chips, and discolorations and repair of a broken tooth. I wanted to know the risks because the procedure might have an effect on my baby. There is no need to administer anesthesia since the composite is applied only on the surface of the tooth. Once the material has hardened and bonded on the enamel with a particular high-intensity light, it will be polished, making the crack or chip unseen.
Tooth bonding procedure depends on how extensive the work is. You may extend for a few hours depending on the damage of your teeth. It is always better to make an appointment first before going through the whole procedure since you would be sitting down waiting for your turn (and we all know how uncomfortable it is for pregnant women to be waiting and sitting down for a long time). It is also important to ask your cosmetic dentist if you need to come back for a follow up.
As a general rule, the first trimester is the most sensitive phase of pregnancy.It would be better to have a tooth bonding procedure done a few weeks into the second trimester. It is not advisable to get a teeth bonding procedure during the third trimester or as the mother nears her due date. For emergency dental work, such as an infected tooth, the procedure should be done so as possible to lessen the chances of harming the baby.
I had the procedure done at the Parker CO dentist’s clinic that same week. I was elated to see my new set of pearly whites. The whole world can see my bonded teeth. Instead of worrying about how I look, I can now shop for baby things.