Taking good care of your teeth and gums doesn’t just result in better dental health, it results in better overall health. Our team wants your smile – and the rest of you – to look and feel great today and well into the future. So we take a long-term approach to your care with holistic dentistry in Chattanooga.
As part of our holistic approach, we:
To visit a dental practice that values holistic, whole-body health, call 423-454-2181. We’re happy to work with your naturopath, chiropractor, physician, or other care provider.
Holistic dentistry, also known as biological dentistry, takes into account a person’s entire state of physical and emotional health. As a holistic practice, we use natural therapies (often in combination with conventional ones) to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases of the oral cavity. We believe the health of the mouth and the body are inseparable – and we treat you accordingly.
Unlike many other dentists, we consider the cause-and-effect relationship between your oral health and the health of the rest of your body. For example, many studies have linked periodontal disease to a host of systemic ailments like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Amalgam (metal) fillings have been in widespread use for years, though recent research has created questions about the effects of long-term exposure to mercury found in metal fillings. The FDA has approved the use of mercury in fillings for adults – though it does note that “the developing neurological systems in fetuses and young children may be more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of mercury vapor.”
Since research is far from conclusive, our dentists don’t use metal fillings. Instead, we repair cavities with composite fillings. Composite contains no mercury and offers aesthetic benefits as well. We match the color to your other teeth, so your filling blends in seamlessly with your smile.
Our dentists have been trained in the protocols for safe removal of amalgam fillings. We have all of the required equipment, including an amalgam separator so we don’t pollute the environment and a special system to filter the air. Enjoy peace of mind while updating your dental restorations!
Dr. Robert Gallien has been performing mercury-safe dentistry for more than a decade. He studied with Dr. Hal Huggins, the dentist who is widely credited with focusing mainstream attention on mercury used in amalgam fillings. Dr. Gallien is a member of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT).
We use advanced technology to keep our treatments as safe and effective as possible. For example, we use:
Biocompatibility is the ability of a substance to exist within or alongside living things without harming them. Biocompatible dental materials provide the desired function without causing any undesirable local or systemic effects in the body. There are over 2,000 different dental materials in use today. Some people may be allergic to certain materials, while others are sensitive to them in various degrees. Unlike food, which you can readily remove from your diet if you’re allergic to it, dental materials are not easy to modify once they’re in your mouth.
Allergies aren’t a problem for everyone, but they can create a serious health hazard for some. To avoid this risk, we can test you for compatibility to dental materials before we repair or replace teeth. If we determine you’re sensitive to a material, we’ll help you find a biocompatible option such as our zirconia dental implants. We are the only dentist office in the Chattanooga area to provide a metal-free implant option!
Determining biocompatibility of dental materials is also important if you have existing allergies because your immune system has already been compromised, and dealing with new allergic reactions will worsen your condition. We also encourage testing for those with any existing health problem that compromises the immune system.
We use DIAGNOdent, a tool that uses laser fluorescence to find cavities before they can be seen by the naked eye. At this early stage, it may be possible to naturally heal your cavity with MI Paste, a product that not only neutralizes acids in your mouth but can remineralize tooth enamel using a special ingredient derived from milk protein. The ingredient, called Recaldent, adds calcium and phosphate to enamel to strengthen it. MI Paste can also reduce tooth sensitivity prior to dental cleanings or teeth whitening treatments.
We can also suggest holistic methods for cavity prevention, including:
If you have a jaw ache, you may have a cavitation, an area inside your bone where toxins can collect. Cavitations can form if you lose a tooth to decay or injury or have had an abscessed tooth, even if it was repaired with a root canal. Left untreated, cavitation will eat away at the bone, endangering nearby teeth. Our cone beam 3D imaging reveals cavitations so they can be treated. We may treat you with applications of antibiotics, laser dentistry, and/or oral surgery.
Research from Germany indicates that the jaw is especially likely to form cavitations following wisdom teeth removal. The research also found that toxins in cavitations are especially damaging when combined with chemicals or with metals like mercury. Because of this, you may also want to treat cavitations if you are having mercury fillings removed.
We want you to feel better as soon as possible after oral surgery. So we use platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a substance created from your own blood that enhances your body’s natural healing power. We’re the only dental practice in Chattanooga that uses this cutting-edge technology!
All we need from you is a small blood sample. We then use a centrifuge to separate the blood into plasma and other cells. When placed on your surgery site, this platelet-rich substance encourages tissue regeneration and speeds up healing.
For holistic dentistry in Chattanooga, call 423-454-2181. No matter why you need to see us, we’re a judgment-free, lecture-free practice. You’ll never hear a lecture from us, and we always listen to what you have to say.
