LET’S talk ABOUT FUNCTIONAL DENTISTRY
Your oral health has tremendous bearing on your health overall. Beyond repairing damaged teeth, we invest time and resources into the causes and conditions of dental problems. This allows us to create optimal preventative treatment plans, minimizing future costs and interventions.
What is functional dentistry?
Functional dentistry is not a separate specialty in dentistry, just a shift in approach and mindset. Dentists using a functional approach have the same dental degree and training as other dentists, endorse brushing and flossing, and recommend having a cleaning at least twice per year. This style of dentistry aims to have a wide variety of treatment options that address root causes, which may be a little different than what you’ve experienced in the past.
We do all the normal dentist stuff (with a twist).
From the safest dental cleanings to complex concerns and cosmetic upgrades, we invite you to trust us for all your oral health needs. Just know that, it’s in our nature to identify and overcome the root cause of your concern and prevent future issues, not just treat symptoms.
Plus, we factor in everything else that’s happening in your body.
Even though dentistry has typically been treated separately from the rest of your body, your oral health is deeply connected to your overall wellness. So, we’ll look at things like inflammation, Vitamin D levels, bloodwork from your doctor, airway status, and gut health to connect the dots in your whole-body health.
Then, put it all together to help you breathe, sleep, smile, and thrive.
After a thorough analysis, we’ll recommend the most minimally invasive plan to help your TMJ, muscles, teeth, and airway work in harmony so you can sleep well, breathe freely, and have the best shot at living your longest, healthiest life.
We do all the normal dentist stuff (with a twist).
From customized dental cleanings to complex concerns and cosmetic upgrades, we invite you to trust us
for all your oral health needs. Just know that it’s in our nature to identify and overcome the root cause of your concern and prevent future issues, not just treat symptoms.
Plus, we factor in everything else that’s happening in your body.
Even though dentistry has typically been treated separately from the rest of your body, your oral health is
deeply connected to your overall wellness. So, we’ll look at things like inflammation, Vitamin D levels, bloodwork from your doctor, airway status, and gut health to connect the dots in your whole-body health.
Then, put it all together to help you breathe, sleep, smile, and thrive.
After a thorough analysis, we’ll recommend the most minimally invasive plan to help your TMJ, muscles,
teeth, and airway work in harmony so you can sleep well, breathe freely, and have the best shot at living your longest, healthiest life.
Conventional Approach
Functional Approach
Safe Amalgam Removal
S.M.A.R.T. stands for SAFE MERCURY AMALGAM REMOVAL TECHNIQUE. It is a protocol established for the removal of fillings which contain mercury. The technique outlines the proper procedure and equipment for safely removing amalgam fillings while minimizing mercury exposure.
At Wellspring Dental we take these extra precautions when handling mercury for the safety of our team, patients, and environment.
Saliva Testing
Just like your physician uses bloodwork to help make recommendations to keep you healthy, functional dentists use saliva testing in the same way. We look at the saliva under a microscope and may recommend sending off a sample of saliva to learn specifically which bacteria are present. Checking for the 5 most harmful bacteria in the mouth is crucial for determining if our oral health is putting our overall health at risk. Taking gum measurements alone does not address the cause of why tissue loss occurred in the first place, and identifies the issue after damage has already occurred.
With this knowledge of which bacteria are present, we can target therapies that are effective for you, then re-test over time to see if we are maintaining results.
Bite Analysis and Treatment
If your teeth touch too much during chewing, muscles in your jaw may be overstimulated, and this can lead to fatigue and headaches; not to mention damaged teeth. Digital Bite Analysis is used to diagnose all the problems that can contribute to a bad bite.
For example, it can be used to collect data on muscle activity in your jaw during clenching, so we can better understand the discrepancies in your jaw alignment. We can use Electromyography (EMG) and T-Scan Occlusal Analysis to gather data on all the complex forces your jaws exert on your teeth when you close your mouth to sleep. If you have cracked or worn teeth, temporomandibular disorder, chronic neck, head or jaw pain, digital bite analysis could be right for you.
Ozone
Therapy
Ozone is a safe and powerful natural gas that fights bacteria, fungi, parasites, biofilm, inflammation, and viruses and helps tissue regenerate. It is created when oxygen is combined with an electric energy source, thereby adding a third oxygen atom to an oxygen molecule. In nature, ozone is created in UV radiation, lightning, waterfalls, and our atmosphere. In the body, ozone produces a negative electric charge. The single oxygen atom of ozone destroys harmful, positively charged contaminants in an oxidation reaction, leaving pure oxygen and water as the byproduct, and leaving healthy cells unchanged.
Ozone can be used in the mouth in the form of a gas, an oil, or as ozonated water; it’s both antimicrobial and a disinfectant, and within a few minutes, it’s able to strengthen enamel and kill bacteria in your mouth. The oxygen atoms destroy plaque on our teeth and gums without hurting our own healthy tissue; that’s why ozone therapy is so invaluable during dental procedures, it creates a clean environment and prevents further infection. Ozone can be used to reduce sensitivity, treat cavities, gum disease, and infection in a way that does not create resistance. It is one tool used in functional dentistry as a stand-alone intervention or in conjunction with traditional methods like antibiotics.
Dental Surgeries
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) Treatment
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) is made from your own blood, assuring that it’s both biocompatible and synthetic-free. The sample is created in a centrifuge; the resulting membrane is placed at the site of surgery, where it stimulates the growth of bone and soft tissue. PRF aids in healing, as it encourages the formation of capillaries and promotes blood flow. The increase in blood flow helps clear remaining bacteria so healthy tissue can regenerate.
Guided Ceramic Dental Implants
3D guided implant surgery takes digital treatment planning to the next level by allowing us to both visualize the steps of your procedure as well as create sequencing templates custom to you. 3D guided implant surgery combines CT scanning technology and CAD/CAM technology, providing you with unparalleled accuracy in the placement of your dental implants and restorations. In this way, we can optimize the location, angle and depth of your implants, leading to predictable and healthy outcomes.
Frenuloplasty
A frenuloplasty is a liberation of the tongue from anatomical restrictions.
- Restrictive lingual frenulum, also known as ankylglossia or tongue-tie, can limit the movement and range of motion of the tongue. The tongue is important in our daily functions including breathing, sleeping, eating, and communicating. Good tongue mobility is essential for optimal growth and development of the jaws.
- It’s common that if the restriction is severe, it would cause speech or feeding issues early in life and be addressed then.
- If the restriction is mild to moderate, the early signs may not have been as obvious and it is common for this issue to go undiagnosed for a long time. Symptoms that could be related to a tongue tie that may become apparent later in life are snoring, difficulty sleeping on the back, headaches, mouth breathing, high cavity risk, tooth wear, restless or unrefreshing sleep, jaw pain, neck tension, and forward head posture.
- The body will find a way to do the vital functions of breathing, sleeping, eating, and communicating, but in the presence of a tongue tie, compensations will develop. The way the body will perform these functions in the presence of a tongue tie involve open mouth breathing, side sleeping, teeth clenching, which then lead to issues like TMJ disorders and musculoskeletal posture issues. These compensations are developed to offset the restriction and compromised breathing felt when standing straight up or laying on the back. An analogy we like to use is it’s like walking with the laces of both shoes tied together. You could still walk, but not to your full potential.
- By releasing the tension in the lingual frenum and allowing for freedom of movement of the tongue, many aspects of health can be improved.
- The procedure itself is performed awake under local anesthesia using a CO2 laser after a patient has prepared with myofunctional therapy. This is like physical therapy for the tongue, and allows for safe, predictable procedures. We would only perform a procedure to improve function, and the therapy helps us determine those goals.
- It is important to evaluate tongue ties in the context of tongue space and tongue tone, and treating only if and when it is appropriate. This procedure is one piece of a larger airway-health plan we can help develop for your individual needs.
Infant Frenectomy
- Oral Frena are the fibrous attachments of the lips and tongue to the jaws, and they are structures we all have. Everyone’s oral frena differ based on many factors including genetics, epigenetics, nutrition, development. If the oral tissues are restrictive, it can negatively impact feeding early in life. Healthy tongue function is vital to infant feeding, sleeping, and growth, so identifying challenges early on can help get babies off to a good start. By collaborating with a team to help with healthy oral function and body movement, we can help improve infant feeding with a frenectomy when appropriate. This procedure is performed to relieve tension in restrictive oral tissues with a state-of-the-art CO2 laser for increased precision and improved healing. The procedure itself is brief, usually less than 60 seconds, and infants are encouraged to feed immediately afterwards.
- The pressure from the tongue during swallow forms the shape of the jaws, and the jaw shape and position dictates how the face and airway will develop. So while infant feeding is important for nutrition, it is also crucial for development, which is why we are so passionate about our work with infants.
Pediatric Services
We feel time in our office should be fun! Your child’s first dental visits can lay the groundwork for their feelings about dental care (and healthcare!) for their lifetime. We love working with our pediatric patients, and make sure each child feels loved, respected and heard. We explain procedures carefully and take care that parents and guardians are fully engaged and informed when their child is in the dental chair. We see infants for frenectomies age 0-1, children for airway development age 3 and up, and children for general dentistry age 6 and up. We find many families want to keep the whole family at one practice, and we are happy to accommodate. If there is a situation where we need additional support, we will refer to a pediatric dentist.
Holistic Restorative
Dentistry
Crowns
Same-day crowns using CEREC technology allows us to custom design ceramic crowns when restoring decayed or damaged teeth. To create a CEREC same-day crown, we need simply to capture digital images of your teeth, and we will custom design and fabricate your crown, giving us full control of the functional and esthetic outcome. CEREC crowns are metal-free and tend to be a safe, biocompatible option for many patients. Using this technology we eliminate a second visit and a temporary crown by fabricating your permanent crown while you wait.
Biocompatible Fillings
When performing fillings, it is our goal to use whatever material is most biocompatible with your body. In general we use metal-free, BPA-free, ceramic-resin composites which can be completed in a single visit. Biocompatible fillings will match the color and shape of your teeth and most importantly, minimize your body’s immune response. By performing biocompatibility testing in our new patient exam, we will know which materials are best to use for you. Our mission is to positively impact inflammation, gut health, and airway health.
Tooth Extractions
While we prioritize maintaining your natural teeth, sometimes tooth extractions are the best option to restore health. Our approach to dental extractions is to preserve as much natural bone as possible, remove the periodontal ligament, then use your body’s own platelets and ozone therapy, and possibly a bone graft to optimize healing and recovery. Taking these extra steps helps prevent areas of poor healing bone in the future, and are important for minimizing systemic effects of dental infections and extractions.