Holistic Dentistry broadens the scope of general dentistry to a more systemic field. Our interpretation of what it means to practice holistic dentistry covers several key bases.
First and foremost, as a holistic dentistry office we recognize that the mouth is the first stage of the digestive system and that the key goal is to allow efficient chewing to promote healthy digestion and nutrition. We give every patient we see a thorough analysis of how the teeth come together in the bite and from there, look at how a dysfunctional bite may be contributing to nutritional and digestive problems. We use T-scan technology to assess how the teeth come together and come apart again – not just the composite assessment of a static bite.
A second instance of practicing holistic dentistry is having a deep understanding of how every bite is intricately correlated to a patient’s posture and alignment. We think: the spine ends in teeth. Every facet of how a tooth makes contact with another tooth provides an orientating force to the entire skeletal system. And vice versa; how a patient’s skeletal system stacks up will influence the tooth position. We routintely see adult patients with chronic neck and TMJ pain, as well as those with no pain at all in these areas … it is not uncommon for us to see patients with a beautifully intercuspated bite wherein that bite is like a perfect roof on a house with a crooked foundation. We partner with physical therapists, chiropractors, and other gifted body workers to codiscover and co-manage these complex patients. We also see growing children with mild to significant asymmetrical development, both of the body and the face and mouth. Our goal in treating these kids is to minimize the negative effects of the asymmetry and open up the opportunity for full growth potential.
Another aspect of holistic dentistry is looking deeply and scientifically into the roles of the microbiome in the mouth and the oral-systemic wellbeing of the individual. This involves taking pH testing to assess overall body chemistry, saliva testing for specific pathogens known to cause dental disease and to exacerbate heart and brain conditions, and breath testing for both lung function and volatile gases.
For patients with high chemical sensitivities, we offer biologic compatibility testing of dental materials. This aspect of holistic dentistry involves sending a blood serum sample to BioComp analytics to discover the least reactive dental materials that might be used for a specific patient. We have found over the years that the materials we routinely purchase and utilize do fall into that “least reactive” phase for almost everyone, but it never hurts to check especially if a patient is already dealing with autoimmune issues.