Dentistry is constantly changing as new techniques, tools, procedures, and practices are implemented in the field. Today’s dentists are trained and equipped as never before to diagnose and treat dental conditions that can impact overall patient health, not only during childhood development but throughout life.
As usual, the focus of this blog post is on patient education. In this blog from the clinic of Hila Robbins, DMD, Inc., we will look at what you can expect from a biological dentist in Los Angeles, CA, versus what we all used to consider as “traditional dentistry.”
Traditionally, dentists were trained to treat the teeth and gums. Today’s dentists, especially those practicing biological dentistry, consider the entire clinical picture of the patient, thanks to ever-expanding knowledge and understanding of how the health of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity (all within the traditional scope of dentistry) interact with the rest of the body, either as a contributing cause, or a possible result of other, traditionally “non-dental” health issues. Today, taking a more comprehensive, biological view (as opposed to the more structural and anatomical approach of traditional dentistry, we know that dental and oral health can impact the health of the cardiovascular system, the immune system, the airway, breathing, and sleep, and more. You might say that today’s biological dentists focus on the big picture—not just the teeth and gums.
Consider, for example, the image at the top of this blog post. What you see is the result of a digital imaging procedure known as CBCT or Cone Beam Computed Tomography. The image presents a computer-generated, three-dimensional (volumetric, not flat) rendering of the cranium (the head) of a child. Using imaging software that combines radiology plus computer graphics capabilities, a properly equipped dentist, such as Dr. Robbins, can see the 3-D anatomy of the entire cranium, including the teeth, jaw, facial bones, bones of the skull, the airway (nasal cavity, throat, trachea), and more. Using imaging software, the dentist can “rotate” the CBCT image in space, look “inside” the image to view anatomy that may otherwise be obscured, and “slice” the 3-D image into discrete sections, from the front, sides, top, and bottom, or anyplace in between.
In plain English, today’s dentist can really see what’s going on, which can help with pinpointing the cause of a particular condition or symptom, to indicate the best treatment, and “predict” likely outcomes.
Using advanced tools, such as CBCT imaging, the biological dentist is able to see the bigger picture of the dental patient’s health, considering the whole body, with the goal to make more accurate and comprehensive diagnoses and offering more personalized treatment plans to patients.
Biological dentistry, as an example, focuses not just
on dental health but also on the patient’s entire physical and emotional wellness. These dentists prevent and treat oral disease by using natural therapies.