What is Biodentistry?
There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that infections, toxins, and imbalances in the oral cavity and the jaw contribute to chronic illness and pain in the head, neck and other regions of the body. The field, known as Biological Dentistry, considers biomechanical, biochemical, bioelectrical and emotional factors all to be important in achieving overall good health and wellness. Unlike traditional dentistry which treats only symptoms, a biological dentist gets to the root causes that contribute to trauma, irritation and toxicity.
Biological dentistry is based on the concept that all dental therapies should work in harmony with the body’s natural ability to heal and repair itself. It embodies the art and science of dentistry as it pertains to the uniqueness of each individual. This approach is a wonderful blend of comfort, function, beauty and longevity in a way that contributes to overall health.
Dr Manuel Bautista in April 2019 traveled to Konstanz, Germany to meet and to be mentored by Dr Karl Ulrich Volz, a world leader in the area of biological dentistry. On returning, he decided to offer this alternate approach towards dental care as a holistic biological dentist near Watsonia.
Metal Free Dental Implants with Zirconia and Ceramic
Metal Free Dental Implants are made from Zirconia which is a ceramic material with biocompatibility and aesthetic advantages – making it a great alternative to traditional titanium implants.
The durability and price of zirconia implants is comparable to metallic alternatives, with the added biocompatible and aesthetic advantages. Zirconia implants are the same colour as teeth and are totally biocompatible, meaning they do not trigger any immunological response that could lead to further complications.
Zirconia will not conduct electrogalvanic fields through the mouth and head as with metal implants. Research has also found that zirconia implants have superior soft tissue blood flow and reduced plaque adhesion – a main risk factor which can lead to periimplantitis.
Many patients are also opting for zirconia implants for aesthetic reasons. Zirconia is white and similar to natural tooth roots. This means that there are no obvious aesthetic defects in the gum line which can be the case with titanium.
Amalgam Free Fillings
In the past, the material most commonly used to repair and fill teeth has been a silver-grey coloured amalgam made from powdered silver, tin and copper, mixed with an equal amount of liquid mercury.
For many years, there has been a vigorous debate about the safety of mercury used in dental fillings. On the one hand, while the American Food and Drug Administration continues to state that amalgam fillings are safe for adults and children older than six, Norway, Sweden and Denmark have either banned, or severely restricted the use of amalgam since 2008.
Similarly, although amalgam is still used widely in Australia and New Zealand, a 2012 report for the European Commission has recommended the phasing out of amalgam throughout European countries within the next five years.
The debate isn’t so much about the safety of mercury, which is known to be toxic at even low levels of exposure. More so, it’s whether the mercury used in amalgam is stable and contained within filling, or whether it can potentially expose those with such fillings to various health risks associated with mercury.
How can you replace your old amalgam fillings?
The decision to replace your existing amalgam fillings is one that you need to make in consultation with our bio dentist , based near Watsonia.
If your amalgam fillings are worn out or broken, it makes sense to have them replaced with new white fillings, if you feel that your amalgam fillings are contributing to other health problems, or if you are concerned that a mouthful of silver-grey fillings is an underlying factor is other issues (such as a lack of self confidence), we will work with you to determine the best course of action.
Removing old amalgam fillings increases the risk of releasing mercury. For this reason we will not undertake such a procedure if you are pregnant as mercury in the body can easily cross the placenta.
When we do remove these fillings, we will take special protective measures to safeguard you as well as ourselves. Scrap amalgam must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Procedure for Amalgam Fillings Removal
To remove amalgam fillings, special care needs to be taken to ensure that the patient doesn’t swallow any amalgam debris or inhale mercury vapours.
The following safeguards are used by our practitioner when removing amalgam fillings:
- A rubber dam is fitted to reduce the chance of amalgam pieces being swallowed or vapours inhaled.
- A special single-use drill is used to minimise vapour release when the amalgam is broken up.
- Maximum suction is used together with a higher-than-normal volume water spray (which also reduces the temperature of the amalgam when being drilled).
- In addition, for the procedure we use a special air extractor close to your mouth so the vapours are kept away