Biological dentistry looks at the mouth as part of the whole body, rather than treating it as an isolated system.

We still practice dentistry - preventing disease, restoring teeth, treating infection, and helping patients maintain healthy function - but we also consider factors such as inflammation, the oral microbiome, dental materials, airway health, previous dental treatment, and the body’s ability to heal.

The terms are sometimes used interchangeable, but they don’t necessarily mean the same thing.

“Holistic” can describe a broad philosophy of considering the whole person. Our biological approach is intended to translate that philosophy into specific clinical decisions: how we evaluate infection and inflammation, which materials we use, how mercury fillings are removed, how surgical sites are treated, how we support healing, and how airway and oral function are considered.

For us, biological dentistry isn’t simply conventional dentistry with more natural products. It’s a different lens through which we evaluate dental health.

Not at all.

Our patients come from many different backgrounds are are at very different places in their wellness journeys. Some are looking for excellent dental care using thoughtful materials and having toxic materials removed. Others have been referred by a physician or functional medicine provider, or are investigating whether something occurring in their mouth could be contributing to a larger health concern.

We simply want you to understand your options and feel comfortable making decisions that align with your priorities.

The mouth is not separate from the body. Oral bacteria, inflammation, breathing, sleep, nutrition, and immune function all interact with systems beyond the teeth themselves. Periodontal disease and chronic oral inflammation, for example, have been studied in connection with a number of systemic conditions.

That doesn’t mean every health problem begins in the mouth. It does mean that oral health deserves to be considered as one part of your systemic health.

We do not use any fluoride products in our practice. Our practice takes an individualized approach to preventive care. Rather than relying on a single strategy for every patient, we focus heavily on nutrition, breathing patterns, oral hygiene, the oral microbiome, saliva, remineralization, and understanding why decay is occurring in the first place.

We can discuss fluoride and non-fluoride options so that you understand the benefits, limitations and alternatives available.

Anything placed in the mouth becomes part of your oral environment.

Because of this, we consider the composition and biological compatibility of the products and materials we use for fillings, crowns, implants, bone regeneration, and other restorations. We recommend biocompatibility testing for all patients to evaluate potential sensitivities to dental products. Go to https://biocomplabs.com for more information.

Our goal is to use durable, functional materials, while minimizing unnecessary biological burden.

Yes. When removal is appropriate, we use protocols designed to reduce exposure to mercury vapor and particles during the procedure.

Our office follows the principles of the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique, or SMART, developed by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. Go to https://iaomt.org/for-patients/safe-amalgam-removal/ for more information.

We evaluate the condition of the tooth, existing restoration, your health history, and your personal health goals before recommending treatment.

Root canal therapy is a widely accepted dental treatment used to retain a tooth after the pulp has become infected or irrervisbly damaged.
From a biological perspective, we recognize that a root canal-treated tooth is no longer vital and that persistent or recurrent infection can sometimes occur around these teeth. The tooth structure, and often more importantly, the surrounding bone becomes infected and can be a burden on the body.

Our role is not to tell every patient that a root canal treated tooth should be removed. We evaluate the individual tooth, surrounding bone, symptoms, two-dimensional and three-dimensional images, and the patient’s overall circumstances before discussing options for care.

Root canals are not completed at Kansas City Dental Works. Our biological philosophy is to carefully evaluate all treatment options and discuss them all with our patients, giving them ownership over their health decisions.

Each root canal-treated tooth should be evaluated individually. We look for symptoms, changes in the surrounding bone, signs of infection, structural problems with the tooth, and other clinical and radiographic findings. Using a 3D-CBCT image is an important part of the evaluation process. We also consider the tooth meridian chart to look at potential tooth-body connections.

Oftentimes we can, but not always from a traditional two-dimensional dental x-ray alone.

Depending on the situation, we use clinical testing and three-dimensional CBCT imaging to evaluate the tooth and surrounding bone more thoroughly.

Even advanced imaging has limitations, so findings must always be interpreted together with the patient’s history, symptoms, and clinical examination. We will often use an advanced imaging assessment, called Visiogenics for a thorough evaluation of root canal treated teeth and surrounding bone.

“Cavitation” is a term commonly used in biological dentistry to describe an area of abnormal or incompletely healed jawbone, associated with a previous extraction site.

At Kansas City Dental Works, we use the term “CSR” or Covered Socket Residuum to describe these areas of either less dense bone or more dense bone that can occur in extraction sites. To assess and plan care recommendations for these areas, we always require a Visiogenics analysis of the 3D-CBCT image. This will give us a clear description of the bone and areas to be treated.

We evaluate the patient’s history, symptoms, three-dimensional imaging, and clinical findings before determining whether further investigation of treatment should be considered.