Biocompatibility in Dentistry
You are unique. Your dental treatment plan should be too.
With the overwhelming array of dental materials and procedures out there, how do you know what’s right for you? At Heal Dental Care, we only offer material and treatment options which provide an optimal oral and systemic health outcome.
For example. When placing dental implants we offer premium titanium and ceramic dental implant options which are metal free. In our surgeries, instead of using synthetic materials we will use your own biologic tissues instead. We can expand your own bone instead of drilling it away and have a range of biocompatible ceramic materials; all of which have excellent long term properties.
We aim to understand the root cause of your ailment and choose a material or procedure that best suits your situation. Our team of Gold Coast dentists want to offer patients options that not only fix dental complications, but which also reinforce overall health and vitality.
We’re the holistic dentist who understands your unique perspective, and will treat your mouth in a way that improves your broader health without compromise.
Taking care of you
What is functional medicine?
To put it simply, functional medicine is a philosophy of health care (including dental care) examines one’s broader systemic health and lifestyle in a quest to diagnose underlying causes of a disease or dental condition rather than just treating its symptoms. In comparison to traditional medicine, functional medicine and holistic dentistry engage the patient and practitioner in a partnership – shifting the conversation from a disease-centred approach to a patient-centred approach – creating space to talk about genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors that could be influencing a dental condition or chronic disease.
- Functional medicine is a patient-practitioner partnership.
About biocompatible dentistry
As functional medicine is becoming increasingly popular and its advantages more widely known, the ‘biocompatible’ approach to dentistry is growing in popularity as well.
Biocompatible dentistry is concerned with how the materials in your mouth act and interact with your teeth, gums, jaws and in turn the rest of your body. In this way it is similar to functional medicine in its philosophy and practice.
The Philosophy
Biocompatible dentistry (often referred to as holistic dentistry) recognizes the connection between your mouth and body, taking into consideration how a material or treatment in the mouth can affect your overall health. This approach aims to holistically understand and address the root cause of your dental condition rather than just treat its symptoms.
At Heal Dental Care, our team of Gold Coast dentists prefer a proactive approach to your health by promoting health and wellness through nutrition and oral hygiene rather than reactively dealing with the negative consequences that come from eating poorly or neglecting your teeth.
In Practice
In practice, dentists who appreciate a holistic approach are mindful of what materials they use in their patients’ mouths and conscious of how invasive a dental procedure may be, opting for a less-invasive, natural solution when possible.
For example, mercury fillings are very disruptive to the teeth. They expand and contract in response to the conditions of the mouth at a different rate compared to the normal tooth structure beside them. Frequently with mercury amalgam fillings for prolonged periods have lots of cracks in them several years after placement.
At Heal Dental Care, our dentists will take the time to listen to your story and respect your unique values and health concerns. Before any treatment, we consider every single material and medication to make sure it’s right for you.
You are unique. Your treatment plan should be too.
Finance optionsChoosing what’s right for you
As functional medicine is becoming increasingly popular and its advantages more widely known, the ‘biocompatible’ approach to dentistry is growing in popularity as well.
Luckily, our team of highly-skilled Gold Coast holistic dentists have various treatments, materials and options available for you depending on your specific needs.
Initially in selecting the right treatment we consider the following:
- What is the diagnosis?
- What is the objective of treatment?
- Does our patient have any specific preferences/ limitations?
Is it to remove the pain or improve function? It may seem obvious, but before we decide on a treatment plan or choose any dental materials, in holistic dentistry we believe it is of utmost importance to understand the patient-specific reason for our course of action. Understanding as many of the variables as possible and spending time of proper planning can avoid costly mistakes down the track.
Available materials and ready alternatives are considered carefully by our dentists. In advance we review the unique MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for each of these so that we can consider this in our assessment. If available, our dentists will take you through what alternative materials or treatment options might suit your situation better. Often the use of technology (or a specific clinical technique) can eliminate the use of certain materials – limiting your exposure and risk! In holistic dentistry, the substitution of dental materials with the consent of a patient can achieve great success for our patients without compromise.
Achieve clinical success without compromise.
Our dentists consider what dental materials and procedures will work best for you.
Other considerations
Often when planning for dental treatment there are other factors at play than just the teeth and gums. For example:
- Does the patient’s lifestyle support the success of this material? (ie. Will their oral hygiene and diet help or hinder the success of a filling)
- Does this patient have pre-existing conditions or are they taking medications which may influence the outcome of their treatment? This often is a very important consideration for dental extractions, surgery and implants
- Does this material contain any health risks within dentistry or other industries?
- What is the testing and research that has been carried out on this material?
- How long has it been used? What has been the clinical feedback?
- Have there been previous recalls or product removals from the manufacturer?
- How many patent-protected components (components that aren’t clearly described or explained) exist in this product?
How we eliminate risk
At Heal Dental Care, our Gold Coast dentists are concerned with the risks of some mainstream dental materials. While many dentists still provide these options, we have chosen not to. By giving each patient the time they deserve, our dentists can offer biocompatible dentistry solutions that respect each patients’ values while protecting their overall health.
