What Is Holistic Dentistry?

“Holistic” implies several important factors:

1. The whole person is focused on, not just the problem itself. A conversation and carefully listening by the practitioner will often reveal the diagnosis. The subsequent examination and diagnostic tests are done to confirm this diagnosis.

2. Dental and oral conditions can be understood only in relation to the whole body. Biological practitioners know that the body reflects what goes on in the mouth and that the mouth reflects what goes on in the body. Dysfunction or disturbance in one area will eventually and invariably show up as illness in related areas of the body.

3. All dentistry is done in a clean, healthy, biologically friendly way. This minimizes impact to the system and allows the dentistry to be comfortable, healthy, good looking and durable..

4. The holistic approach is a blend of clinical practice, sound scientific knowledge and the traditions of natural healing. It does not automatically equate symptoms with illness. For what we call “symptoms” often indicate important signs of healing. To suppress these symptoms and call it “cure” is both superficial and shortsighted. And by ignoring the actual causes of illness, this allopathic practice leaves the patient vulnerable to even more dysfunction and future disease.

5. Biological practitioners try to find the systemic causes of illness. To remove the root cause is to take a major step towards healing. As a rule, they opt for the least invasive, least traumatic and least toxic means of diagnosis and treatment. True biological care supports the body’s natural abilities of self-healing and regeneration.

6. Specific procedures we incorporate to support this holistic, biological approach:

• Silver/mercury removal follows a specific protocol to minimize impact to the immune system

• All restorative procedures are done with the teeth isolated from saliva and bacteria. This also protects the mouth from any debris resulting from dental procedures.

• All procedures are as conservative as possible. For example, when restoring teeth we preserve and protect as much healthy tooth as possible. This means avoiding crowns when possible and using direct bonded composites and porcelain onlays.

• Preserve and protect the vitality of the tooth pulp. This means taking steps to avoid root canals. Where cavities are deep, we reduce inflammation, disinfect and stimulate the reparative potential of the pulp using low level laser, argentyn 23, Inflamyar and ozone.

• Teeth are extracted following a protocol to reduce the potential for cavitations, accelerate healing and maintain maximum bone volume.

• The implant system we use requires minimal additional bone grafting procedures, if needed at all, and is a screwless design of the abutment to the implant. There are no screws to break, come loose or harbor bacteria.

• Your bite is examined and perfected as needed with a digital bite mapper called the T-scan 3. This eliminates all guesswork that often accompanies the “tap-tap, how-does-it-feel” approach

7. Natural products we use whenever possible:

• Herbal Dentist – Herbal drops with essential oils, calcium and phosphate as a tooth paste substitute

• Sockit Gel – natural, drug free oral wound dressing used after extractions and other surgeries

• Chlorella – Heavy metal detoxifier we use when we safely remove silver/mercury fillings

• Evora Plus – probiotic that supports the “good” bacteria

• Argentyn23 – homeopathic silver hydrosol that kills bacteria, reduces inflammation and promotes healing. We use this with low level laser therapy to help sensitive teeth.

• Arnica Montana – natural, plant-based anti-inflammatory; available at any health food store

• Inflamyar – a compound of various natural plant based products for Treatment of Inflammation, Arthritis, Muscle Pain, Bursitis, Sprains, Bruises and Sports Injuries. We use this with low level laser therapy to help with sore temporomandibular joints and muscles

• Low Level Laser Therapy – used to naturally help a variety of painful, inflammatory conditions. Research has shown that LLLT helps stimulate cells that help teeth repair internally. When we restore teeth, we use LLLT before the restoration is placed to accelerate this reparative process.

• Ozone Disinfection – used as a mouthrinse before procedures to reduce bacteria and to clean cavities, extraction sites and gum pockets.

Why Choose Holistic Dentistry?

Click here to listen to a short audio message from Dr. Tarantola.