biological dentist Archives - Cornerstone Dentistry

How Can I Find a Dentist to Work with My Autoimmune Issues?

Posted on February 24, 2023 by AllSmiles.

I have a lot of autoimmune issues going on, in addition to allergies, and I need a new dentist. Joint pain is a big concern for me, and I notice that it gets worse when I am exposed to certain chemicals. I went to a different state to get some thorough testing done and found out everything or almost everything I am allergic to or have a chemical sensitivity to. I have cleaned my house from top to bottom and removed everything I reasonably could that triggers my symptoms. Now I am trying to address environmental issues and anything else that could affect me.

Last night I looked at my schedule and saw that my six-month dental checkup is due in late July. My dentist isn’t really into holistic care and doesn’t seem too concerned when I talk about my sensitivities. I wonder about dental treatment, my dentist’s materials, and what kind of reaction they might cause. I am not really interested in trying my dentist out again to figure out how I react to the materials he uses. I will start fresh and find a more current dentist for treating patients with chemical sensitivities or allergies. I am unsure what I want, but I noticed your site and the page for a holistic dentist. Is this a typical specialty so I could find a holistic dentist within 20 miles or so of my home? I have started searching already and have yet to get good results. Reagan from GA

Reagan – Thank you for contacting Cornerstone Dentistry in Sugar Land. Holistic dentistry is not an official specialty recognized by the American Dental Association. Some dentists avoid metal materials or use biocompatible dental materials.

How Can You Find a Dentist if You Have Autoimmune Concerns?

You can find a dentist if you have autoimmune concerns by looking for a holistic or biological dentist. Try these terms in an Internet search:

holistic dentist near me
biological dentist near me
biomimetic dentist near me

The dentist will research ways to give you dental treatment to which you are least reactive. Some dentists recommend Clifford’s test, or Clifford Materials Reactivity Test, to help identify your sensitivities. Dental and medical professionals have mixed opinions about this test and its reliability.

Do not be discouraged if you cannot find a holistic dentist within 20 miles of your residence. You may find a nearby dentist willing to work with you and, as much as possible, avoid materials that cause a reaction. Be patient with your search. Consider scheduling consultations with a few dentists who seem agreeable to treating you. Find out what each dentist will do to respect your requests to the extent possible.

Sugar Land cosmetic dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post. Read how Dr. Thomas provides patients with some of the best dental care in Sugar Land.

Could Burning Mouth Syndrome Feel Like an Allergy to Crowns?

Posted on March 23, 2022 by AllSmiles.

In February 2021, a cosmetic dentist placed zirconia crowns on two of my molar teeth. He used a lot of water to protect some of my surrounding teeth. It was hard for me to breathe, I was throwing up water, and the dentist had to stop the procedure for 30 minutes until I was calm again. The whole ordeal strained my throat and affected my speech. And I had lingual nerve damage that lasted almost a year.

Since that time, my tongue has gotten dry and sticky, and my throat burns. Within the past two months, the dryness and burning have worsened. I thought I might have an allergy to zirconia, but my dentist said there’s no way I am sensitive to zirconia because it’s a ceramic. I have seen three ENT doctors who agree that I don’t have acid reflux, nor is the problem from a reaction to mouthwash or toothpaste. One ENT says I might have burning mouth syndrome from all the trauma.

I need more cosmetic dentistry, but it’s not happening soon. I’m still nervous after the experience I had last year. I’m starting to get depressed because I wonder whether I’ll never be able to finish my cosmetic dentistry work. I’ll have to start all over with another dentist because I’m afraid that my dentist will drown me with his sloppy tooth isolation and irrigation techniques. How can I be sure that I’m not reacting to the zirconia crowns? – Thanks. Rebekah from Seattle

Rebekah,

Thank you for your inquiry.

Are You Allergic to Zirconia Crowns?

Although it is rare to have an allergic reaction to zirconia crowns, it is not impossible. And no dentist should tell you that you cannot be allergic to zirconia. You will need an allergy test to confirm if zirconia causes an adverse reaction.

Although Dr. Thomas would need to examine your crowns and oral tissue, it seems that the ENT specialist who suspects you have burning mouth syndrome has an accurate diagnosis. We have consistently heard and read about patients who have experiences like yours. And we see a connection between burning mouth syndrome and traumatic dental experiences. You were choking and vomiting during your dental procedure with the zirconia crowns. And you had lingual nerve damage. The ongoing strain on your throat, speech issues, and depression are enough to keep your anxiety level high.

Other people have experienced a dry mouth or burning tongue after stressful dental experiences. You are already uncomfortable with your current cosmetic dentist, so look for an advanced cosmetic dentist who offers conscious sedation. In our experience, conscious sedation can treat a high level of dental anxiety. Anti-anxiety medication will help you arrive relaxed for your dental appointment, stay comfortable, and remember little about your procedure the next day.

You do not have to forfeit cosmetic dentistry because of your anxiety. A skilled cosmetic dentist, along with sedation, will help complete your smile makeover so you can feel good about smiling again. If you get allergy testing and learn that you are sensitive to specific dental materials, look for a dentist who will use alternative materials.

Sugar Land, Texas, cosmetic dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post.

Dishonest Dentist is Stealing From Me

Posted on June 22, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had a very large amalgam filling that needed to be replaced because it had started leaking. My dentist replaced it with a dental crown. The temporary crown fell off twice and the permanent crown has fallen off at least three times. On top of that, the crown does not match my teeth. When I asked him about that, he said he could make it match for another $300. I didn’t have that kind of money and I’d already paid for this crown so I told him just to get it to stay on. Then he did some more drilling and did some other things and when I left billed me another $300 for the work. Can he do this? I’m not even sure this one is going to stay on either.

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

I have to say I don’t think there is anyway your dentist can get away with this. There are three basic things you should expect when you get a dental crown. One is that it will fit. Two, that it will stay on. Three that it will blend in with your other teeth. To charge you extra for any of those is unethical. It would be like someone buying a stove and then the store telling them. For another $1,000 we’ll make it where it will actually cook your food.

Do not pay the extra $300 if you haven’t already. If you have, see if you can get the charges reversed. Your next step will be to find another dentist who can help you both repair this tooth and get your money back. You didn’t mention if it was a front tooth or not. If it is a front tooth, you will want an expert cosmetic dentist. If it isn’t, any decent dentist should be able to do what you need.

You have a couple of other ways of getting your money back as well. Talking to the insurance company is a good idea. You were given subpar service for a dentist that is overcharging you for a crown he didn’t do well to begin with. While the best dentists will go above and beyond, this one is not even doing the minimum. Because of that, I think you have a responsibility to leave a review in order to warn other potential patients not to waste their time and money with this dentist.

By the way, removing the leaky filling was a good idea. The main ingredient in amalgam fillings is mercury. As a known toxin, this is not something you will want to be ingesting. if you have any other amalgam fillings, you may want to replace them with mercury-free composite before they become leaky as well. There is a special procedure required when removing an amalgam filling. This is to protect you from the mercury and mercury vapors. Any holistic dentist will know how to do that, as well as a mercury-free dentist.

This blog is brought to you Sugar Land Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.

Metal Free Ceramics

Posted on June 7, 2021 by writeradmin.

I hope you can advise me. I’ve developed major thyroid issues and am trying to avoid anything with metal or lithium in them. Do you know if ceramic crowns have any metal in them? Also, do you know how I can find a dentist willing to work with the limitations I have?

Mariana

Dear Mariana,

Let’s talk about the metal first. While ceramics are metal free, I am wondering if you are actually talking about metal ions. I do not believe you will be able to find anything that has no metal ions. For instance, iron ions are essential for life and are found in your body. But, if you are not talking about ions and just the metal itself, you will find a variety of ceramics that will be very useful to you. If you are talking about a crown for a back tooth, you will want something very strong as well as metal free. In that case, I would go with zirconia. This is sometimes called ceramic steel because of it’s strength and will do fine on your back teeth. Above I put an image that had both a metal and a metal-free (using zirconia) dental implant fixtures.

There are two types of dentists you can do an internet search for that I think will be more than willing to work with you. The first may use the term metal-free dentist. Though, I think you may want to look into a holistic dentist (sometimes called a biological dentist). These dentists factor in the whole body in their treatment an not just the mouth.

I hope that helps and that your thyroid problems can be treated successfully. I know it is a complicated situation to deal with.

This blog is brought to you by Sugar Land Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.

Metal Post in My Tooth Makes My Ear Pulsate

Posted on January 5, 2021 by AllSmiles.

After root canal treatment, my ear was pulsating. I could not figure out if something I ate caused it or if I had an ear infection. I went to my primary care doctor, who checked and tested my ears and asked several questions. She suggested that I ask my dentist about my root canal and any materials used in my mouth. The dentist confirmed that he placed a stainless-steel dental post in the tooth to strengthen it. I wish he had told me about this beforehand. Now I am worried about removing the post and cracking my tooth. Will I need a dental implant, which is another concern because they are titanium? – Thank you. Robyn from Aurora, CO

Robyn,

We are sorry to hear about your experience and your reaction to the metal post in your tooth. We recommend that you find a dentist who practices biological or holistic dentistry upfront. The new dentist will find alternatives that will not provoke a reaction so that you can get the care you need. We will explain why a dentist might use a post in your tooth and the steps you can take to get the proper care.

Why a Dentist Might Use a Post After Root Canal Treatment

Dentists often place a post in the tooth when little tooth structure remains. Posts have several purposes:

Strengthen front teeth and premolars against horizontal fracture
Increase crown retention for molars and other teeth
Help build up with tooth with a dental composite

Dental post materials

The history of dental posts goes back to the 1970s. Below is the progression of materials used for the posts.

1970s – Stainless steel was the primary metal for dental posts.
1980s – Researchers discovered that metal ions leach through the tooth into the bloodstream. Stainless steel contains nickel, which commonly provokes reactions. Many practices switched to titanium for its biocompatibility.
1990s – Manufacturers developed fiberglass and carbon fiber posts, along with other materials.
2000s – Manufactures produced zirconia posts as a biocompatible option. They are ceramic with high flexural strength.

Removing a Stainless-Steel Dental Post

If you need a stainless-steel dental post removed, ensure your dentist has advanced root canal training. Otherwise, see a specialist (endodontist). The post depth and how well your dentist cemented it can make it challenging to remove. You will have the risk of damaging tooth roots, losing the tooth, and requiring extraction and dental implant. Zirconia implants are an alternative to titanium.

Do not allow your dentist to place the final crown on your root canal tooth. It will further complicate matters.

Dr. Siny Thomas, a Sugar Land, Texas cosmetic dentist, sponsors this post.