Orthodontic Information

The Effect of Blood Pressure on the Orthodontic Treatment

effect of blood pressure on orthodontic treatment

One of the world’s famous trends is the orthodontic treatment process, especially in the older ages. If you’re interested, keep reading below. Orthodontic treatments are always influenced by various factors including the patient’s age. Some of these factors would accelerate the movement of jaws and teeth being treated or decelerate such movements. Blood pressure is one of very important factors affecting the procedure of orthodontic treatment, hence, this article intends to deal with the effect of blood pressure on the orthodontic treatment.

What Is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure refers to a pressure applied by blood to the vessels’ wall and is considered as one of the most important vital signs of human beings. The blood pressure is measured as systolic pressure vs. diastolic pressure. The human being’s normal resting blood pressure is approximately 100-140/60-90 millimeters of mercury; if the blood pressure of a patient is higher than 140/90 mm/HG, then they are suffering from a disease called hypertension.

measuring and recording the patient's blood pressure

measuring blood pressure

The Effect of Hypertension on Orthodontic Treatment Procedure

Hypertension can directly affect the orthodontic treatment trend. The most important effect of this disease appears when a patient uses blood pressure controlling medicines. Such medicines usually decrease the secretion of saliva and dry the environment inside the patient’s mouth. The decreased saliva secretion and dry mouth (xerostomia) would in turn decrease the acidity of the mouth, which increases the potential of tooth decay.

During orthodontic treatment, patients often experience a great deal of stress and nervous tensions, which they can bring about vascular stenosis and heart attacks. Moreover, hypertension would lead to overgrowth of gums, so we need to follow all oral and dental sanitary instructions during the treatment more than any other time. Here, we briefly point to other effects of hypertension on the orthodontic treatment:

  • It is possible that one or more teeth of a patient are extracted during orthodontic treatment. Tooth extraction in patients with hypertension would cause several problems, hence, you need to discuss with a cardiologist before trying to extract your teeth. Also the carpule including anesthetics for these certain patients must be without any dose of adrenaline. The carpule used for patients with hypertension must be of citanest carpule.
  • The risk of occurrence of oral and dental diseases is increased.
  • If before starting the orthodontic treatment, a patient needs to complete some other dentistry treatments including root canal therapy, for reaching a blood pressure, you have to discuss with a cardiologist in this regard.
  • It is interesting to know that, in general, none of medical handbooks have explained about the decisive effect of hypertension on the orthodontic treatment trend, because orthodontic treatment often is a treatment for children, teens and youth.

woman with curly hair and orthodontics

How to control the effect of blood pressure and orthodontic treatment trend?

Controlling hypertension can help us to reduce the unwanted effects of hypertension on orthodontic treatment. Here are some instructions which can help you to control the effect of blood pressure on orthodontic treatment:

  • Check your blood pressure regularly.
  • Ask a cardiologist to check your vital signs regularly.
  • Control your body weight.
  • Follow your dental and oral sanitary care regularly and according to instructions of your orthodontist.
  • Minimize your salt consumption.
  • Consume the medicines prescribed by your orthodontist.
  • To be in touch with your orthodontist regularly and visit them, if necessary.
  • In cases when your gums become inflamed and swollen, do not touch them and discuss them with your orthodontists as soon as possible.
  • Control your stress.

Effect of Blood Pressure Orthodontic Treatment FAQ

1. Does hypertension prevent orthodontic treatment?

Here’s the short answer; no, if it is controlled. Patients can complete their orthodontic treatment following the medical instruction under the supervision of a cardiologist and an orthodontist. However, in scenarios where the patient’s blood pressure is acute and uncontrolled, the majority of dentists and orthodontists refuse to perform orthodontic treatment.

2. I have hypertension, how can I perform an orthodontic treatment?

The first and most important task you have to do is to show your medical records and the medicine you consume to your orthodontist in order to let them make the best decision about your treatment.

3. Can orthodontics increase the blood pressure in normal people?

Orthodontic treatment may lead to stress and psychological tension in people, hence it increases the blood pressure for a short time. Which after a duration of time, returns to the normal level when the stress is declined.

Dr Abdolreza Jamilian Orthodontist

About Dr Abdolreza Jamilian Orthodontist

Dr. Jamilian, an orthodontist, has a specialized fellowship in orthodontic surgery and maxillofacial abnormalities and is a professor in the orthodontics department of the Dentistry School of the Islamic Azad University. He is member of Iranian and European Board of Orthodontics (EBO) and is a member of the Iranian, American and European Orthodontists Association.

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