Myths about root canal treatment: A woman who is pregnant can't undergo endodontic therapy.

This is an issue that the patient and treating dentist must discuss, together, so a conclusion can be made that both parties feel comfortable with. Certainly women who are pregnant can have root canal treatment. However, the timing of the treatment and its protocol may be altered in consideration for the pregnancy. As a rule of thumb, in all cases any woman who is pregnant, or anticipates that she is pregnant, should advise her dentist of such before endodontic therapy (or really any type of dental treatment at all) is begun.

Issues that must be considered when the patient is pregnant.

In relationship to a pregnancy, here are some of the issues and concerns that must be taken into consideration when root canal treatment is planned:

» Treatment timing.

A consideration must be made that weighs the timing of the pregnant patient's root canal treatment in regards to their overall comfort and the well being of them and their fetus. More urgent cases, requiring relatively immediate attention, involve those situations where the patient is experiencing discomfort or has signs of active infection. For those cases where urgency is less of an issue, the treating dentist may prefer to delay the patient's endodontic therapy to a particular (typically second) trimester or even post-delivery.

» Appointment length and number of visits.

The treatment of a pregnant patient may offer challenges associated with appointment duration and maintaining patient comfort. Instead of one relatively longer appointment, in order to keep a pregnant patient physically comfortable, their root canal treatment may need to be divided up into two or more shorter visits.

» The use of radiographs (x-rays).

When modern radiographic techniques and the use of standard radiation protection (including the use of a leaded apron and thyroid collar) are employed, those dental x-rays typically taken in association with a patient's root canal treatment should not place the patient's fetus at risk. However, it is likely that the dentist will want to employ techniques that help them to keep the needed number of x-rays to a minimum.

» The use of medications.

Clearly, a patient's pregnancy status will influence the treating dentist's or endodontist's selection of medications. As an example, root canal treatment typically requires the use of a local anesthetic (the medicine that is used to "numb up" a tooth). A few different types of these products that have been approved by the FDA for use with pregnant women do exist. And, in fact, they are typically found and routinely used in essentially all dental offices. Some endodontic cases will also require the use of an antibiotic and/or analgesic (pain reliever). Once again, products approved by the FDA for use with women who are pregnant are readily available.