Holistic Dentistry
The Complete Diagnosis
- Teeth
- Gums
- Bite
- Body
- Muscle
- Joints
Teeth
At Holistic Dental, we want to help you keep your natural teeth for life, so you can smile with confidence and not need major dental interventions. Every tooth in your mouth plays a vital role in helping you eat, chew and speak properly, as well as in maintaining the structural integrity of your mouth. Good oral hygiene, a balanced diet and regular dental check-ups can help you avoid the two biggest threats to your teeth: dental decay and gum disease. However, if dental problems occur, you should make an appointment to see us as quickly as possible.
Gums
During every routine examination, we check the health of your gums. Healthy gums help prevent harmful bacteria from attacking the fibres and bones that hold your teeth in place. However if your gums are swollen, inflamed or bleeding you probably have the symptoms of a disease that if left untreated could lead to tooth loss and possibly contribute to other serious conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Bite
Your ‘bite’ (the way your teeth come together when you close your mouth) is a great example of how problems with your teeth can impact other areas of your health and well-being. A bad bite (or malocclusion), which can be the result of teeth being overcrowded, bad habits in childhood, ill-fitting dental appliances or poor dental work, can lead to jaw joint disorders, unexplained headaches, irregular facial appearance and even posture problems.
Body
Our approach to dentistry recognises that what’s occurring in your mouth can often be a barometer to what’s happening elsewhere in your body. For example, gum disease can be an indicator of diabetes or a side effect of hormonal changes, while teeth grinding or fractured teeth can be the result of stress. Similarly, when treating any dental problem we consider the effects that the materials or procedures we use may have on other parts of your body.
Muscles
The health of your teeth and mouth can impact the many different muscle groups that are involved when we use the jaw. If you have problems such as misaligned teeth, teeth that have been lost or damaged, or a jaw that’s not in proportion with the amount and size of your teeth, then the muscles in your jaw and neck are placed under greater stress. In turn this can lead to problems such as chronic pain, chewing difficulties, painful jaw joints – and more.
Joints
Whenever we eat, chew, talk, yawn or swallow the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint, or TMJ) is activated. The TMJ is the most frequently used joint in the body and whenever it is used a myriad of muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons are also brought into play. Dental stress can lead to a condition known as temporomandibular jaw disorder (or TMD), which can be the cause of chronic headaches, facial pain and problems relating to the neck and upper back muscles.
7 Reasons
to choose us
- Comprehensive dental care based on diagnosis and consultation
- Highly-skilled and experienced dental practitioners
- The latest imaging technologies and dental techniques
- Natural-looking smile solutions that reflect your personality
- Stress free approach in a friendly and relaxing environment
- A strong focus on prevention and education
- Family friendly – children are always most welcome
The Holistic Dental Approach
At Holistic Dental we provide consistently high quality dental care that’s tailored to meet the needs and wishes of each individual. Our patients are people who consider their dental health to be a top priority. When choosing a dental practitioner they are looking for someone who will work with them in an ongoing and consultative way to help them maintain the health of their teeth and the radiance of their smile for life.
We treat the essentials first to ensure you have a healthy functioning mouth and a sound bite, and balance the need for optimal dental health with the desire to achieve natural and aesthetically pleasing results.
At each Holistic Dental centre, you’ll find that every member of our team – from dental practitioners, hygienists and nurses through to the reception and management personnel – believes that when you are happy and able to smile with confidence, you also improve the social, physical and emotional aspects of your life.
Here’s how we ensure that you have healthy beautiful teeth and a life-changing smile:
1. We Listen
The art of listening is fundamental to achieving a correct diagnosis.
With new patients we will ask you to tell us about your dental and medical history, and from what you tell us we can also determine risk factors, such as smoking or diabetes. Listening is also essential in ensuring that we understand what you want to achieve by visiting a Holistic Dental practice. Some people are solely focussed on functionality – for example being able to enjoy eating a steak because they can bite and chew properly – while for others the concern is about looks, appearances and gaining the self-confidence that comes from having a big bright smile. And of course there are those patients who are concerned about issues such as snoring and sleep apnoea, or problems that relate to temporomandibular joint disorder.
2. We Examine
Having carefully listened to why you’ve made your appointment and how you’d like to improve the functioning and/or appearance of your teeth, mouth and gums, we conduct a thorough examination, which includes the following:
- your general dental health including signs of oral cancer
- the health and strength of your teeth and whether or not there is any decay
- the areas inside, under and between the teeth
- the presence of plaque
- the integrity of any fillings or other restorations, looking for signs of leakage, cracks or tooth decay
- your bite and the position of your teeth
- the health of your gums and signs of gingivitis or periodontal disease
- the bone which supports your teeth
- the health of your mouth roof and floor, cheeks (inside the mouth), lips and tongue
- the areas immediately outside your mouth.
3. We Plan
The next stage in the process is to discuss with you all the findings of the examination and to agree on a treatment plan that addresses the most urgent issues first. We realise that everyone’s situation is different and that time and finances can sometimes be an obstacle. Our primary consideration is to ensure that your mouth is healthy and functional, and that there is no risk that oral health issues will affect you general health. In an ideal world we would like every patient to not only have healthy and strong teeth, but also the confidence of knowing that when they smile, they’re showing the world a beautiful set of natural-looking teeth that are straight, well-proportioned and brightly translucent. However, we always make certain that we only provide the level of treatment that meets your needs and wishes.
4. We Solve
Once we have agreed on a plan, we will then proceed to schedule whatever treatments and procedures may be required. As a holistic practice, we also look at the underlying causes of your dental problems (such as smoking, joint problems, postural issues or anxiety) and may refer you to complementary health providers such as a podiatrist or chiropractor, or recommend activities such as meditation, breathing exercises or behaviour and diet modification.