Total Health Dentistry For Adults
We understand as an adult, you have very specific total health needs. The fact is, you have been through a lot when it comes to the tools and methods used for dentistry over the years.
Fortunately, dental technology has improved over the years. We have great options and solutions that we didn’t have decades ago, let Sante Family Dental tell you all about it.
Our challenge has been quite simple: To be able to fix anything to do with your oral care while also addressing the underlying causes so that we can deter any further complications.
The "Wars of Dentistry"
20-40 years ago, dentistry did the best they could for you with the technology and tools on hand. Unfortunately, many of you have teeth that are more filling than tooth, previous root canals that still both you, missing teeth & bones, all leading to bad bites and bad airways. At Sante Family Dental, we’ve coined this era as the “Wars of Dentistry”. We’re here to help you understand your total health and the many alternative options available to you.
Amalgam-Mercury Fillings
If you had any sort of fillings in the past, you likely have amalgam-mercury fillings. Amalgam is made up of 50% mercury, 35% silver, and the rest a mix of tin, copper and zinc. However, we now have far superior materials for fillings that do not contain mercury or other toxic chemicals.
Facts About Mercury-Amalgam Fillings
Mercury leaks above 14 degrees Celsius because it’s not properly sealed—and our mouths are always above 14 degrees!
This means that mercury has been leaking into your mouth 24/7 since you first got your filling. On top of that, amalgam-mercury fillings can crack your teeth.
Although some dentists say that they have had to use these types of fillings in recent years, Dr. Ali Farahani has yet to fill even a single tooth with amalgam since 2004.
View before & after photos of amalgam fillings replaced with white: Amalgam Filling Removal.
Root Canals & Missing Teeth
Probably, close to 40% of our adult patients have had at least one root canal before visiting our practice. A root canal is a procedure where we clean out the infection of the main canals of the root of the infected tooth.
Rather than a root canal, some patients opt-in for tooth-removal to relieve the pain an remove the issue entirely.
Facts About Root Canals & Missing Teeth
A root canal is a procedure where we clean out the infection from the main canals of the root—a procedure that we’ve become very good at over the years.
However, the rest is up to your immune system. There are still smaller canals branching out of your main canal which will still have the infection. If your immune system isn’t great, you may continue to feel discomfort since that area will still have some infection.
The other option is to remove the entire tooth. Many patients in this age category previously opted for leaving the gap, which actually means you’ve lost some jaw bone when you had that tooth removed.
Facial Changes & Bad Bites
Broken fillings, missing or chipped teeth, and lost jaw bone will often gradually lead to bad bites and facial changes. When we lose or break teeth, we lose the support beams of our facial structure. This can change our jaw lines and even facial proportions.
How To Tell If You Have A Bad Bite:
You can tell if you have a bad bite if you are often trying to find the right spot to chew, or you don’t know where a good and comfortable bite is anymore. Or, you may find yourself biting and chewing with your front teeth rather than your back, often leaving you with a sore jaw or tired muscles.
Are your teeth and fillings breaking more often? This is also due to a bad bite, which leads to future facial and jaw line changes.
View before & after photos of bad bites changed to comfortable bites: Comfortable Bites
Our "Peace Is Here" Solutions
The “War of Dentistry” has a negative connotation toward it. However, that’s where Sante Family Dental comes in. We’re here to help you understand your options and ensure your total health is taken into consideration, starting with your oral health. From new fillings to implants, to “no surgery face-lifts”, learn how we can help you.
Alternative Fillings
We are accredited with the IAMOT (iamot.org) and trained for the proper and safe removal of amalgam-mercury fillings. We can replace these fillings with the following:
Plastic Or Porcelain Fillings and Crowns
Plastic fillings last about 6 to 8 years and are serviceable, meaning we can fix and replace them easily and effectively. Whereas porcelain fillings and crowns are the most biocompatible fillings available, and can last up to 15 years or more on average.
Gold Fillings And Crowns
These are a great alternative, especially if you’re nearing retirement. These last close to 40 years! Meaning, we could make this filling your LAST filling.
View before & after photos of amalgam fillings replaced with white: Amalgam Filling Removal.
Alternative To Root Canals
If you have a root canal that is causing you pain and discomfort, you might opt for the alternative: a full tooth removal. This will result in missing teeth and jaw bone. Although some patients choose to leave the gap, we do have alternatives to fill the gap.
Partial Denture
This option is economical, although you may still lose jaw bone since about 50% of the teeth holding the partial denture are no longer in your mouth after 8 years.
View before & after photos of anchored dentures.
Bridge
This is where we trim down a tooth on either side of the missing tooth, add crowns, and “bridge” the crowns with a false tooth.
Again, you will lose jaw bone and it can be harder to clean. However, the problem will be fixed.
View before & after photos with anchored bridges.
Implants
This is the most effective method and preserves your jawbone from deteriorating. It doesn’t require drilling and if something should happen to the implant, it doesn’t affect the other teeth.
We also offer metal-free implants that offer all the same benefits of using metal products, but with zero health risks.
Bad Bite & Facial Changes
Fixing a bad bite is complex dentistry and is a commitment of time and money from the patient. And it’s a big responsibility for the dentist.
The dentist is undertaking the responsibility of correcting not only your bite, but your airway, balance, and posture.
To correct a bad bite we first start with trial bites. These are plastic teeth built on your existing teeth that stay on for around 3 to 6 months while we adjust and find your bite.
Once your bite is perfected and we have found your comfortable bite, we convert the plastic crowns into porcelain crowns or covers, giving you a balanced bite and better airways.
View before & after photos of bad bites changed to comfortable bites: Comfortable Bites
Sante Dental Total Health Resources
Here at Sante Family Dental, we would like to provide you with peace of mind and the confidence in knowing that we are here to answer all your questions, no matter what stage of life you are in. Your generation has been through a lot, and so has dentistry. To prepare your oral health and total health for retirement, we have broken down the alternative measures we offer to help you receive the best care and the best advice.
Is Your Mouth Ready For Retirement?
As you progress through your adult life and ready yourself for retirement, we want to ensure your total health is prepared. What do we mean by that? In general, retirement usually means you may have a lower income than in your working years. Plus, many people end up losing their benefits after they retire.
Here are just some of the issues that we address to ensure your mouth is ready for retirement:
1. Heavily-Filled Teeth
You may still have amalgam-mercury fillings that are leaking mercury into your bloodstream. Let’s discuss how we can help you replace these fillings with better alternatives before your retirement.
View before & after photos of amalgam fillings replaced with white.
2. Receding Gums
We have new methods to help repair receding gums (methods that don’t involve cutting the roof of your mouth). We use human-sourced collagen and the patient’s blood growth to stimulate stem cells to grow more gum.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have been through a lot and we’re here to help bring a peace of mind to your total health. The Sante Family Dental team is here to support you in your journey. We’ve assembled some of our most Frequently Asked Questions for adults, their dental care, and their total health care profile.
Adult Dentistry FAQ
First, we start with a trial bite made out of plastic teeth. This is then built over the patient’s existing teeth. The trial bite typically stay in for 3 to 6 months while we tweak and find the most comfortable bite for the patient. Then, once we’ve found the comfortable bite, we convert the plastic crowns into porcelain crowns or covers.
As you know, fixing a bad bite can be a big commitment in time and cost. However, the effects are life-changing.
A bad bite can cause a person’s airway, posture and even balance to be affected. If you are worried about having a bad bite and are suffering symptoms, please let us know.
Run your index finger along the gum line just in front and just behind your gums. If you traced your gum line over the area where your tooth is missing you should’ve felt a dip. A dip in the gum is actually a dip in the bone. This meaning you’ve lost that amount of bone compared to the bone holding the teeth on either side.
Let’s say that for the past 25 years you’ve been missing a molar and didn’t have it replaced, or you had it pulled. This has caused the tooth above it to grow longer and caused some compression of your jaw joint. This compression is now causing gum problems around that missing tooth, which can cause major discomfort.
Even more concerning is that the damage also affects your jawbone and can cause your jawbone to deteriorate. Please let us know immediately if you think that this is happening to you.
A root canal procedure is very common when approaching middle age. A root canal is when the soft tissue inside the root becomes inflamed or infected with bacteria. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes such as when there is an injury to the tooth or an untreated cavity. If you experience the following symptoms, you may need to have your mouth assessed.
- Severe tooth pain upon chewing or pressure
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- Discolouration of the tooth
- Swelling and tenderness of the gums
There are many alternatives to a root canal, each one having different benefits such as:
- Pulling the tooth and leaving a gap
- Denture work
- Bridging
- Implants
If you are looking to seek which option is best for you, please call or book online for a consultation.
This depends on how big the filling is.
If the filling used was small and less than half of the tooth, all three options can work well (plastic, porcelain, gold). If you are looking for longevity, plastic fillings will only hold for 6 to 8 years on average, whereas porcelain or gold will hold over 6 to 8 years.
Amalgam consists of 50% mercury, 35% silver, and the rest is compiled of tin, copper, and zinc. For the last 40 years, Amalgam has been a controversial topic in the dental healthcare industry; the argument being that the material is harmful to your body and should not be used for fillings.
The most common alternatives to amalgam fillings are:
- Plastic
- Porcelain
- Gold
No, this is not normal, and usually found in patients with fillings made out of Amalgam. This is because the type of mercury used isn’t sealed and you could potentially be swallowing the substance. A study (Gray et al, 1981) showed that mercury leaks out of fillings at temperatures above 14 degrees celsius. Since our mouths run at temperatures higher than this, once the filling is put in, it could be leaking from day one.
