Holistic dentistry refers to care which takes into account the health of the patient as a whole instead of focusing on their oral and dental needs alone. The systems in our bodies are interconnected and often when an issue affects one part of our bodies, it can cause unwanted effects in other areas as well. Holistic dentistry ensures any oral health treatment which is performed won't interfere with or cause ill effects to other areas of a patient's body. A good example of a holistic practice is the use of composite fillings instead of mercury-based metal amalgam fillings. Mercury exposure poses serious health risks and using composite resins helps avoid those potential risks for better overall health.
What Types of Alternative Dental Treatments Does Our Practice Offer?
In addition to offering composite fillings instead of metal amalgam fillings, we also offer:
- drug-free methods for relaxation and relief of anxiety, including Alpha-Stim® which is a small device that stimulates your own alpha brain waves, which are the relaxing, calming brain waves.
- biomimetic restorations which help restore teeth using materials and techniques which are closer to “what nature intended” and which avoid additional destruction of tooth material
- non-surgical alternatives to gum disease treatment
- drill free dentistry using air abrasion
- Pinhole surgical technique, a minimally invasive alternative for gum recession surgery
Additionally, we offer patient education to help every person who comes into the office understand the steps they can take to improve their oral health naturally.
How are Metal Fillings Removed?
Since metal fillings contain mercury, they are removed using special techniques designed to prevent contamination. Our practice uses the IAOMT protocols for safe mercury filling removal which will help keep patients free from contamination throughout the replacement process. This includes a process called "chunking." The name applies to the process of cutting the metal filling into chunks which can be easily removed with a hand instrument or suction. Our patients can feel confident about this healthier approach to their oral health.
