The Advantages of Minimally Invasive Dentistry (Podcast)

John Maher: Hi, I’m John Maher. I’m here today with Dr. Nammy Patel, founder of Green Dentistry in San Francisco, California, helping patients recognize the vital connection between dental health and whole body health. And author of the bestselling books, Age with Style: Guide to a Youthful Smile & Healthy Living, and Total Wellness: Understanding the Link Between Your Teeth and Your Health.

Today, our topic is the advantages of minimally invasive dentistry. Welcome, Dr. Nammy.

Dr. Nammy Patel: Hi, John. Thank you for having me.

What Is Minimally Invasive Dentistry?

John: Sure. So Dr. Nammy, what is minimally invasive dentistry and how does it differ from more traditional dental procedures?

Dr. Nammy: Minimally invasive dentistry is exactly what it says, John, minimally invasive dentistry. The beauty of that is really awesome because most dentists tend to be drill happy or because they have a drill, they want to be able to utilize it. Technology’s evolved very much so that we can be very conservative with how much enamel we remove, which is the outer layer of your teeth, or even if there’s a cavity, we actually can be very minimally invasive with lasers and using different materials.

So that way, we’re saving a lot of natural tooth structure. And minimally invasive dentistry means that your goal is that you’re saving as much natural tooth structure as possible.

John: Okay. So less drills, less removal of enamel, saving as much of the teeth as you can.

Dr. Nammy: Yes, absolutely. And that’s what we all want, right? From a patient perspective and from a dentist perspective, at least that’s what I want for sure.

How Does Minimally Invasive Dentistry Reduce Pain?

John: And how does minimally invasive dentistry help to reduce pain and discomfort during dental procedures?

Dr. Nammy: Minimally invasive dentistry is really awesome because if you’re not removing as much enamel or dentin or removing tooth, there’s going to be less discomfort. For example, let’s use veneers. You can actually do minimally invasive veneers that you don’t really even have to drill the teeth down. You just roughen the surface, the outer surface of the teeth, existing teeth you have, and you can actually put on a set of veneers on that that’ll look really good. Another example would be using lasers in order to do fillings, so that we are able to remove very little tooth structure, desensitize and sterilize the natural tooth structure and put a nice filling on there versus a crown.

Effectiveness and Safety

John: Okay. And what about effectiveness and safety? Are minimally invasive procedures just as effective as other procedures?

Dr. Nammy: In fact, minimally invasive procedures are actually better for you. And they actually last longer because when we actually save natural tooth structure, it’s natural. So your body is able to clean itself really well, and your body is able to have a protective mechanism. Versus when you have crowns that are too deep, they get closer to the nerve and you have a risk of a root canal.

If you have a really minimally invasive veneer on there, or even a minimally invasive crown, you have a large layer of dentin in the middle that’s going to help heal the nerve and protect it. So it’s much better to have minimally invasive techniques and procedures and doctors who follow that. And that’s the first thing you want to ask is when you ask a professional about, “Hey, what types of materials are you using?” Because certain materials require more removal of enamel and dentin. And there are certain procedures that will and certain products that are actually really minimally invasive, and that’s what we really want to utilize for you.

Finding the Right Dentist

John: And how can patients ensure that they receive safe and effective minimally invasive dental treatments? Are there certain qualifications that they should look for in a dentist who offers those services?

Dr. Nammy: Absolutely. The first thing I would do is ask questions regarding what kind of procedures you’re getting and what materials they’re utilizing, and ask the dentist, “Is it the best material that you’re putting in my mouth?” For example, if we’re using porcelain fused to metal, which is metal as a base, and then porcelain on the top, you actually have to remove two millimeters of tooth structure, which is significant, versus if you do an all ceramic, you only remove 1.5 millimeters of natural tooth structure.

So ask questions, ask your provider what materials are they utilizing in order to help make sure that they’re saving as much natural tooth structure for you as they can.

John: Okay. And how do you go about finding a dentist to practice this minimally invasive dentistry?

Dr. Nammy: The easiest way to do that is actually, if you just go on Google, minimally invasive dentistry, because people who have this mindset are going to put it on their website. It’s going to be something that Google’s going to pick up. You’re going to be able to read about them. You’re going to be able to receive their philosophy and how they work and what’s most important for them. So you’ll actually see that if you just Google it, and you will find providers in your area that are minimally invasive, which is really wonderful.

Contact Us for Minimally Invasive Dental Care

John: All right. Well, that’s really great information, Dr. Nammy. Thanks again for speaking with me today.

Dr. Nammy: Absolutely.

John: And for more information about Green Dentistry, visit the website at sfgreendentist.com or call (415) 433-0119.