In the past if you experienced extensive tooth decay and required a filling or root canal you would have to to go through an extensive dental procedure to disinfect the area. These procedures often used harmful chemicals to kill off the bacteria in your mouth and disinfect the area that was damaged by tooth decay. That has all changed thanks to recent advances in dental technology.

A relatively new dental procedure, known as ozone therapy, is being used by dentists all across the country as a holistic approach to treating root canals, cavities, abscessed teeth, and gum disease. Learn more about this new, innovative dental technology that is an option for patients who come to Smiles by Shields.

What is Ozone and How is it Used for Dental Care?

Before exploring how ozone is used by dentists, you have to first learn more about ozone. Ozone is essentially a super-charged form of oxygen. Oxygen, which is made up of two oxygen atoms, is extremely stable. It is stable until a third oxygen atom is introduced. That third atom makes the oxygen unstable and creates ozone.

The instability of ozone gives it the unique ability to disinfect. The disinfecting power that ozone has can be used to fight off many different types of bacteria that cause everything from diseases and pain to tooth decay.

Your Jacksonville, Dentist uses ozone therapy when she needs to disinfect or clean out certain areas within the mouth. Using a specialized ozone machine, she can create a blast of ozone that successfully eliminates any bad microbes or bacteria.

Ozone therapy has been successfully used in dentistry to treat the following problems:

• Gum disease
• Periodontal issues
• Disinfecting after tooth extraction
• Infections in the teeth or around the mouth
• Tooth decay
• Tooth sensitivity
• Canker sores

Ozone therapy can also be used as a natural alternative for patients looking to brighten their smile. The oxidative burst created during ozone therapy can go below the surface of the enamel of the teeth. The ability to go past the surface of the teeth’s enamel gives ozone therapy the ability to lift stains and give patients a brighter, whiter smile without resorting to harmful and toxic bleaches.

The Benefits of Ozone Therapy

The biggest benefit of ozone therapy is that it is all natural. Using this natural therapy, dentists are able to offer their patients the chance to remove harmful bacteria without resorting to the use of other products that can have toxic, unhealthy side effects.

Other benefits of ozone therapy include:

• Improve the flow of blood
• Enhances the body’s immune response
• Speeds up the healing process

Things to Consider When Choosing to Undergo Ozone Therapy

While ozone therapy provides a safe, holistic treatment option for patients who need to have cavities filled or a root canal performed, there is something that needs to be considered – the future time commitment.

Ozone therapy can successfully kill the bacteria in the mouth and make it safe to fill a cavity or perform a root canal, but that doesn’t last forever. Bacteria will start to regrow after a year. Once bacteria starts to regrow in the mouth, the only way to treat it is by opening the tooth up – which involves removing the filling or crown – and going through the whole process of disinfecting the tooth again.

In addition to the time commitment involved, you will also need to make a huge financial commitment. Ozone therapy is often not covered by dental insurance, which means you will be paying out of pocket. However, the benefits of toxin-free bacterial removal may far out-weigh the financial hurdle. 

If you wish to explore ozone therapy or want to learn more about other holistic, schedule an appointment with Dr. Tiffany Shields at Smiles by Shields. Smiles by Shields provides holistic dental care to people living in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Call us today to schedule an appointment to learn more about holistic dental care.