Functional dentistry treats dental problems as part of a patient’s overall health. Functional dentists are different from conventional dentists.

Most conventional dentists simply treat dental symptoms, but functional dentists use evidence-based medicine to look for the root causes of dental problems.

A conventional dentist may tell you to brush, floss and get cleanings twice a year. A functional dentist will do all that, but will also examine your eating and lifestyle habits that may be causing your dental pain.

A conventional dentist will often use toxic fillings such as mercury or nickel on your teeth, while a functional dentist will avoid toxic materials when doing fillings. A functional dentist strives to keep the original tooth structure.

Conventional dentistry may treat decay with only fillings, while functional dentistry will repair the tooth and investigate what is actually causing your tooth decay so that you can avoid future procedures. Functional dentistry tries non-invasive treatments first so that patients do not have to depend on aggressive treatments.

The goal of functional dentistry is total body health. That’s because other medical issues can affect your mouth’s health. Perhaps you suffer from teeth clenching or tooth grinding. There may be non-tooth related causes such as stress and sleep apnea (not breathing enough oxygen while sleeping). A fissured, or scalloped, tongue can also cause breathing problems during sleep.

One of the major causes of dental pain is periodontal inflammation, which is inflammation of the gums. However, periodontal inflammation is not always just a local disease in the gums, it can be an early sign of type 2 diabetes.

Functional dentistry also looks for food sensitivities and allergies that can cause chronic inflammation. Acid reflux, which comes from your digestive system, can also affect your tooth enamel by causing a gradual breakdown of the tooth structure.

Functional dentists look beyond the obvious to make sure there are not underlying health problems. The human body is interconnected by the lymphatic system, endocrine system, gastrointestinal system, and nervous system. They can all play a part in your dental health.

Functional dentists strive to use radiation-free tooth decay detection, laser dentistry, treatments that are safe, and minimally invasive options. Functional dentistry doesn’t rush people into root canals, major drillings, or extractions.

Functional dentistry takes into account any medications that you may be taking for non-dental issues that could affect your dental health. Functional dentists know the health of your gums can affect your body, and the health of your body can affect your gums.

A functional dentist will work with you on the best prevention strategies for your dental and total-body health. Functional dentists may recommend lifestyle changes, special vitamins and supplements, the best foods for teeth, and stress-management techniques.

As you can see, there is a huge difference between conventional dentistry and functional dentistry. If you’re looking for functional dentists who care about your dental health and overall health, please call us at (424) 382-0290. We take the time to get to know our patients so that we can offer them a holistic treatment that saves them time and money.