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Treating the Whole Person
Conventional dentistry looks mostly at the obvious – things like cavities, gum health and broken or misaligned teeth. There’s less concern with what’s going on below the surface, often undetectable by traditional clinical tools and knowledge – things like:
- The toxic effects of restoration materials.
- Infected root canal teeth.
- Cavitations, or areas of dead, decaying tissue, usually below old surgery sites.
- Oral galvanism, or electrical currents caused by dissimilar metals next to each other in the mouth.
Biological Dental Medicine, on the other hand, is as concerned with such “hidden” conditions, as well as the obvious ones. This is because we know that dental infections and oral disturbances are not just local phenomena. They can cause pain, dysfunction and illness throughout the body.
Because of this, the whole, biochemically unique person must be considered in the treatment process – not merely the symptoms.
And because of this, in treating your teeth, jaws and related structures, Dr. Erwin and our staff consistently focus on how any treatment you receive will affect you as a whole.
Getting Acquainted
Before setting your first appointment with us, you might like to visit our office and get acquainted. We’re happy to meet with you and discuss briefly your needs and expectations or answer any questions you may have prior scheduling. There is no cost for this 10 to 15 minute visit.
Your First Visit
The purpose of any first visit with Dr. Erwin and our staff can be summed up in a single phrase: information gathering.
No matter the services you seek, each new patient must have an intake exam so we can evaluate the current status of your dental and oral health. The components and extent of this exam will depend on your unique situation and current concerns. We will discuss the particulars – including costs – with you prior to scheduling your first visit.
Because your time in our office will be spent mainly in gathering clinical information through exams and testing, it will help for you to provide as much background information as possible before or at your first appointment. This will give us all the broadest view of your current health situation.
Material to Put Together Before Your First Appointment
- A timeline or description of your complete dental and medical history
- A list of current symptoms, illnesses and complaints
- A list of doctors you are currently seeing for what kinds of treatment
- A list of all medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), vitamins and other nutritional supplements, herbs and homeopathics you are currently taking, along with how much and how often you take them
- Copies of previous lab results, diagnoses, treatment plans and any other relevant records from past health care providers
Additionally, if you can provide recent x-rays from your last dentist, please do. This may eliminate the need for us to take new images. If you have dental coverage, please bring your insurance card.
When you arrive for your appointment, we’ll ask you to fill out a few forms. If you would like us to mail them to you to fill out in advance, just let us know.
Once seated in one of our exam rooms, you will meet with Dr. Erwin. Before conducting the initial exam, he’ll take some time to speak with you and start getting to know you and your health concerns. In fact, we may spend a good amount of time at your first visit talking – you providing us information and insight to your concerns, needs, values and priorities; us providing you the information you need in order to begin evaluating your choices and deciding your preferred path to total health.
Depending on the type of services you seek, as well as what is found during the basic clinical exam, other exams and tests may be conducted with your OK. After recording and reviewing his clinical findings, Dr. Erwin will then share his observations, explain their significance and offer his preliminary suggestions for how to proceed.
It’s important to note that more complex cases require more time, deliberation and evaluation of alternatives before settling on a treatment plan. We will be sure to give you all the information you need to know – both at this appointment and in follow-up – so you can make the best, most informed decision about how to approach your particular health situation.
Creating total health is like building a shelter for yourself. In an emergency situation, you can just throw something together out of whatever’s available. But if you want to build a house that will last, you must plan carefully first, then build the foundation, then the walls…and so on, until you have a complete, sturdy, safe shelter.
True healing and total health come the same way – not through ad hoc, stop-gap measures but careful planning, deliberation and careful, thoughtful building.
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