We’re providing a different kind of dentistry in St. Albans.

Your mouth is connected to the rest of your body. This is an obvious statement, right? Still, oral health is often discussed as if it’s completely separate from overall health, but the link between the two is well documented. As a result, we know that the best children’s and family dentistry takes this link into account. We know just how important your oral health is, so we’ve developed a unique approach to dentistry that focuses on prevention whenever possible. This unique approach colors every aspect of our practice and the care you’ll receive here, from influencing the technology we invest in to the treatments we recommend. If you’d like to learn more about us and how this philosophy influences the way we’ll treat you, here are 10 ways our approach to dentistry is unique.

1. We’re driven by real science.

Proven oral-systemic and interdisciplinary science is at the core of every treatment at Dickinson & Branon. We believe there’s an ideal balance between understanding and using foundational science and using new technology. After all, when new technology is used properly, it can be the key to providing you with faster, more comfortable, and better treatments. Finding the sweet spot between foundational science and cutting-edge technology allows us to give you the best care available.

2. We use innovative technology.

Advances in technology are often game changers in the medical field—and that includes dentistry! We use innovative technology to provide clinical treatments with better results for your oral health in the short and long term. Laser dentistry is one example of this, as advanced lasers are precise and target decay, allowing your dentist to remove significantly less healthy tissue. They’re also nearly painless, reduce bleeding and swelling when used on soft tissues, and clean as they cut, lowering your chances of complications like an infection and encouraging faster healing. Methods like this allow us to give you more comfortable care with better results, so we’re willing to invest heavily in new technology and continuing education so we can keep giving you innovative and effective treatment.

3. We’re dedicated to providing quality care in dentistry.

Caring for people’s oral health is our passion, so it’s vital to us that we provide you with quality care. If it helps achieve the best clinical outcome, we happily use the best vendors, even if we earn a lower profit margin. We don’t just want successful treatment today; we want to provide you with treatments that have exceptional long-term value, improving the health, function, and appearance of your teeth for years to come.

4. We believe in dental care that considers the health of your whole body.

Your oral health is connected to your overall health, so we believe the best dental care acknowledges this. Factors like diet and at-home oral hygiene routines have lasting impacts on your health, so considering these factors and helping you and your family develop healthy routines encourages you to stay healthier overall. Our approach to family dentistry also focuses on prevention and early diagnosis, leading to treatments that are less invasive and more cost-effective.

Because they’re still growing, early intervention is even more helpful for children. Their jaws and teeth are “plastic,” which means it’s easy to influence their growth and correct issues before they become a bigger problem. If we spot issues with your child’s airway or the development of their jaws and facial muscles, we can intervene early with treatments like Myobrace, myofunctional training, or Invisalign. Using these treatments to reposition a child’s teeth or guide the growth of their jaws is the most elegant way to help their teeth function comfortably and naturally. Structures that function comfortably usually look great too, so we’re able to help young patients develop healthy, strong, and beautiful smiles.

5. We try to embrace simplicity.

Oral health can be complex. Everyone’s oral health is different, and people tend to have different treatment preferences. We understand and appreciate this while doing our best to be as objective as possible when we evaluate your needs. This helps us bring a little simplicity into your dental treatments and makes it easier for us to explain all of your treatment options simply and objectively, giving you more control over your treatment decisions.

6. We use innovative technology to take high-quality digital scans of your teeth.

Digital scans produce high-quality images and 3D models of your teeth without the mess or discomfort of dental putty, making them a great tool for some dental treatments. We’ve used an iTero digital scanner since 2011 to take digital scans related to patients’ orthodontic or Invisalign treatments. In 2016, we began using the iTero element scanner and have continued using its subsequent updates, including an August 2020 update that can screen for cavities. Although this is an innovative piece of technology, we’ve had years to refine our workflow and train our team of assistants and hygienists to use it, making scanning as critical and routine for patients as taking annual X-rays. This makes it a great option that allows us to choose the best diagnostic and treatment tools for each patient.

7. We keep an eye out for red flags pertaining to your overall health.

The relationship between your oral and overall health goes both ways, so your oral health can provide clues about your overall health. We keep a particularly good eye out for signs of sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing, which can include a limited range of motion in your tongue, oversized tonsils, persistent mouth breathing, and wear on your teeth from clenching and grinding them. Since sleep apnea can have a big impact on your overall health, it’s important to look out for signs of it so you can visit a sleep specialist if you need to. It’s also important to catch signs of issues like clenching or grinding your teeth early even when it isn’t related to sleep apnea, as this can help us take steps to save your teeth from future injuries and wear over time.

8. We treat the root cause of malocclusions.

During orthodontic treatments, we achieve the best long-term outcomes by going beyond simply treating the malocclusion itself. We also think about why a patient has a malocclusion as well as what its long-term implications are. In many cases, the first phase of orthodontic treatment is a removable appliance like Myobrace. The appliance helps to assess your habits and muscle usage patterns, as they could have led to your malocclusion and may cause your teeth to shift back into their old positions after treatment is complete. Thankfully, looking at this aspect of your treatment helps us prevent your teeth from shifting back by correcting your bite and its underlying cause! This method is particularly helpful for young children receiving early orthodontic treatment, as we can often reduce or eliminate the need for braces by resolving the causes of problems like overcrowding early.

9. We help patients feel confident while straightening their smiles.

Orthodontic treatments make it easier to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly, preventing cavities and gum disease, and can relieve symptoms like frequent headaches, jaw pain unsettled sleep, snoring, and more. Traditional orthodontic treatments like braces are incredibly effective but stand out on your teeth, which makes many patients feel self-conscious during treatment. For many of our patients, Invisalign is an incredibly popular alternative because of its ability to work discreetly.

The clear aligners work to straighten your bite without drawing others’ attention, helping you stay confident in your smile throughout the treatment process. The treatment works quickly, so if you have relatively straight teeth but have a malocclusion that’s causing symptoms like muscle pain or bruxism, we can usually complete a simple course of Invisalign treatment in four to six months. The result is a smile that looks and feels worlds better for years to come!

10. We take a patient-centric approach to dental care.

Your long-term oral health is our first priority, so we dedicate ourselves to providing dental care that puts your needs, wants, and comfort first. Because of this, we would much rather carry out comparatively smaller treatments now to save you from greater oral health issues in the future. For example, correcting your bite even if you’re already well into adulthood can help save you from needing six or eight crowns in 15 to 20 years to rebuild damage from a poor bite. While those potential treatments are very far in the future, we can make them unnecessary with simpler steps now. We also aim to make this kind of dental care comfortable and routine instead of intimidating. We want our office to be your dental home—a place where you feel welcomed, safe, and comfortable!

Experience this patient-focused approach for yourself at your next appointment.

We believe that providing dentistry that is focused on prevention and long-term treatment results in an environment that’s comfortable and welcoming for patients can transform your oral and overall health. If you’d like to learn more about how this outlook informs the way we go about treating you and caring for your long-term oral health, feel free to schedule a consultation with us at any time!