MINIMALLY INVASIVE
Minimally Invasive
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Biocompatible Materials
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Respecting Your Time
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Minimal X-Ray Exposure
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Preventative, Not Reactive
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Whole Body Connection
What Does 'Minimally Invasive' Mean?
​When we talk about being 'minimally invasive' there are really two different parts we are talking about. The first is that we always try to save as much tooth and bone structure as possible. And the second part utilizes procedures and technology that minimizes the impacts on the teeth we are working on. These two parts go hand in hand, and if they aren't both thoughtfully executed, then nothing is really being done in a minimally invasive way at all. So let's talk a bit about each part.
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Saving As Much Tooth Structure as Possible.
Saving as much tooth structure as possible is kind of multi-faceted idea itself. You will always save the most tooth structure by taking preventative measures like coming in for regular hygiene appointments and getting regular exams. If there is an issue, the earlier we find it, the more options we have, like silver nitrate and sedative fillings instead of ceramic fillings for instance. If real work needs to be done, again, the earlier we get to the problem the better, so you might need an onlay instead of a crown, or a crown instead of an extraction and implant.
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The second way we save as much tooth structure as possible is that when we do do fillings, onlays, or crowns, we take the time to be more surgical in removing as little of the actual toot structure as possible. While we might need to remove as much tooth structure as a traditional dentist in some cases, in others, we would remove far less. Speaking of crowns specifically, the dentist has to 'prep' the tooth for the lab made crown​ by removing a lot of your original tooth so the crown sits on top to be cemented on. It is harder and more time consuming to do what we do which is why corporate dentistry uses the more one-size-fits-all method and is more of a blunt instrument in their prep work.
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Minimizing Physical Impact on Teeth While Working
Minimizing the physical impact on a tooth also comes in two parts. The first is by simply not doing more work on a tooth than is necessary. Any time the Dentist needs to work on one of your teeth, it is a rather traumatic experience for the tooth. Normal people don't spend too much time thinking about teeth other than brushing and flossing. And even fewer people think about what a living tooth really means. A tooth is not a rock, it is a living part of your body. Every living tooth has a nerve, blood flow, and even a ligament attached. Excessive trauma to a tooth can actually kill it. Excessive work can also crack or chip a tooth or cause extended recovery times. So the less time working on a tooth, the better for your teeth.
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​So while we would like to minimize the amount of time we work on teeth, we do have work on teeth. When we do, it is important to use techniques and technology that impact the teeth as little as possible. One of the things we do differently is we use high speed electric drills. These drills put off less heat and can drill through your tooth structure quicker. Another thing we will do is take more overall time in the chair to be more surgical instead of going in hard and fast. It's the hard and fast part that has a negative impact on teeth; think dremel tool vs a power hammer drill! Yikes!
