Functional Dentistry: a New Health Trend on the Rise?

Functional dentistry is an emerging field of dental care. But what is it, exactly? Why is it searched for and what methods does it use?

Today’s people, who lead a wellness-oriented lifestyle and are concerned with overall health, paved the road to new approaches and alternative methods in dental practice.

What is Functional Dentistry?

When it comes to dental care, focusing on prevention can make a huge impact on the quality of patient outcomes.Let’s see the main characteristics of Functional Dentistry in a few bullet points:

-Functional Dentistry builds on prevention of oral disease by using practices such as dietary recommendations, oral micro-biome management, and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing. 

-Pays particular attention on the root causes of oral disease and develops an individualised care plan for each patient.

-Functional Dentistry also promotes an all-body approach to dental health, believing that oral health is a reflection of the patient’s overall health.

-Aims to use the least toxic materials when treating dental issues

What is the Difference Between Functional Dentistry and Traditional Dentistry?

Focus on Prevention

One of the primary differentiators between functional dentistry and conventional dentistry is the focus on prevention.

Traditional dentistry uses methods that are deeply rooted in science and technology and its primary diagnosis and treatment focus on the mouth and jaw area. Although functional dentistry also uses these conventional methods and technologies, over and above it is an approach to dental care that emphasises prevention.

A functional dentist is a medical professional who adopts alternative dental practices. While focusing on dental health and oral upkeep, functional dental professionals also examine the eating and lifestyle habits of their patients.

Holistic Approach in Dentistry

In simple terms, “holistic” refers to the understanding of the relationship between all of the parts of a whole. 

Dental Support that Looks at the Whole Person?

Yes, that’s the holistic approach. 

Although functional dentistry and holistic dentistry are not the same, functional dentistry believes in the principles of holistic medicine. Considering the patient's physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing, not just their oral health needs. It starts by identifying an obstacle, then taking a step back to understand the situation as a whole. Each patient has a different experience of oral conditions and a path to recovery that is influenced by their age, gender, culture, heritage, lifestyle and beliefs.

At the end of the day, functional dentistry has an ultimate goal: to uncover the root cause of any issues and to determine the best solution.