What is holistic dentistry?

Holistic dentistry is an alternative to traditional dental practices, and it has seen immense popularity in recent years. Holistic dentistry, also known as alternative or biocompatible dentistry, considers how your oral health affects your overall health and wellbeing, with a strong emphasis on preventative, physical, and emotional health.

A holistic dental care approach focused on long-term overall health with natural remedies has clear advantages. However, you don’t have to go to a specialized dental clinic for holistic dental care; many general dentists provide holistic dental care solutions and techniques within their dental practices.

How does holistic dentistry differ from traditional dentistry?

The primary difference between holistic dentistry and traditional dentistry is the driving philosophy. Traditional dentistry focuses entirely on diagnosing and treating problems associated with the teeth, gums, jaws, and other oral anatomical structures. However, holistic dentistry believes your oral health is inextricable from your overall health, so it focuses on your overall health, emotional health, and spiritual health.

The different philosophies also drive different treatments. Traditional dental care usually consists of brushing, flossing, teeth cleanings, fillings, and other such procedures related to your oral anatomy. Holistic dental care also focuses on flossing, brushing, teeth cleaning, and other acts of traditional oral care, but with a strong emphasis on nutritional education, herbology, aromatherapy, etc.

Holistic dental care places a strong emphasis on using “biocompatible” or natural materials instead of metallic or chemically-treated materials. They avoid using BPA (bisphenol A) free dental fillings, ceramic restorations instead of metallic ones, and other biocompatible products. They always conduct biocompatibility tests with the material being used to ensure suitability with your body and immune system, minimizing the risk of allergies.

What are the benefits of holistic dentistry?

• Natural remedies for dental problems
• Focus on overall health and wellness
• Use of biocompatible materials

Holistic dental restoration with ceramic implants

La Jolla Dental Care favors a metal-free and holistic approach to the dental restoration and the replacement of missing teeth. Traditional dental clinics recommend titanium-based implants for your restoration, but we provide ceramic dental implants that more accurately resemble the aesthetic and functional characteristics of actual teeth. To understand why ceramic implants are better for your long-term overall health, you must understand how implants work.

Dental implants are replacements for the entire root structure of your missing teeth. The dentist surgically screws the implant into the jawbone underneath your empty socket. Over time, your bone tissues heal around the implant, making it a firmly attached part of your oral anatomy. The bone tissues heal completely in a few months, and you can get a prosthetic or dental restoration attached to the implant. As such, the implant replaces the missing root structure, while the restoration replaces the visible crown.

Drawbacks of traditional titanium implants.

Traditional dentistry uses titanium as the implant material because of its strength. However, titanium implants also carry a few inherent risks, such as the risk of corrosion and metallic allergies. While most titanium implants are successful, some patients eventually experience allergic reactions to the titanium. Since allergic reactions may occur several months or years after getting the implants, you might not even realize your reactions' true source. Furthermore, titanium implants are also more visible.