Dental Implant FAQ | Dr. Paul O’Malley DDS | Holistic and Biomimetic Dentist in LA

I already have crowns/root canals, what should I do?

Unfortunately what’s done is done. However you can avoid more Crowns in the future and take excellent care of your existing crowns

Some people get crowns and root canals done and they don’t ever have a problem. It could take 20-30 years before issues start to arise.

But imagine the central nervous system as a tooth is ground down to a nub. Imagine the sort of emergency signals shooting from the dense nerve endings of a tooth down into the center of the nervous system.

The best that can be done at this point is damage control. You need to make sure that the crown is very well sealed above the tooth so that decay cannot get underneath it. It’s also good to make sure that all your crowns are metal-free.

You should have your crowns inspected often because once decay gets underneath the crown then you could be setting yourself up for serious complications.

X-rays cannot see under some types of crowns, which could pose another problem. It’s important that if you get a crown (only advantage is they can be done cheap), it needs to be made of a material that can have an x-ray later, otherwise it will require the removal of the crown for inspection, which will cost you.

Now, as for a root canal, you can get a post and also a type of filler. The post is not very ideal because it creates a lever inside the tooth and could create tension that increases the possibility of breakage deep in the tooth (which would then require an extraction and implant). Your best bet is the filler material if a root canal MUST be done rather than a post.

I get this question often as well and I’ll mention something here: if the tooth is broken off at the gum line, we can, using advanced biomimetic techniques, rebuild the tooth without having to do a root canal and a post to build it back up. You can call for more information on that point as it is a very advanced procedure and ages ahead of conventional dentistry.

Do you accept insurance?

We do not file the claims for you but you can file your own claims and we can help you fill out the claim form. Please check out our “Value vs Price” page for extensive information on insurance and how it affects you as a patient.

Do you do in-office financing?

No. We work with CareCredit, LendingClub, any credit card, etc. We can help you get approved.

Even if you can’t pay for it all right away, we can come up with a plan to do your dentistry in coherent sections. It most likely won’t be a problem.

I hate needles!

That’s not a question, but we know.

Because of our totally 1-on-1 service, the anesthetic phase is done slowly. I will use some numbing gel in the area before pulling out the needles. By the time you’re ready for the anesthetic, you won’t even feel the needle.

We work very hard to make your entire experience as enjoyable as possible; this includes even the most horrible aspects of getting dental work.

Why is the first appointment more expensive than most conventional dentists?

Our first appointment is $295 and is 2-3 hours of hardcore, in-depth, 1-on-1 examination. Because of my extensive experience and mindset as regards to no-crown/avoid-root-canals dentistry, the sort of exam I give cannot really be found anywhere else. I don’t just “do dentistry,” I perform MIRACLES.

After you sign up for my free holistic dental education course you will fully understand what I am saying here.

Aren’t all cosmetic dentists basically the same? What is the benefit of a holistic or natural cosmetic dentist?

Improving the appearance of your smile should go more than “enamel deep” and in fact a superficial approach to cosmetic dentistry can create significant damage and lead to long-term problems.

Most veneers are prepped very heavily. “Prepped” means that the original tooth is ground down with a grinder in order to “prepare” the tooth for the porcelain veneer.

You can look online, on YouTube and also on my free holistic dental course to find many videos of a tooth getting prepped for veneers. You will see that the tooth, after “prepped,” looks like a little nub. Then the veneer is placed over the nub.

We do it differently: minimal grinding with a very thin veneer. It makes you look like you don’t even have veneers. It looks natural and is very strong because it is bonded to a large and healthy original tooth.

This also allows for room down the line: if the veneer falls off or something happens to it while you’re chewing (let’s say 15-25 years after the procedure), you will still have LOTS of good tooth structure there if the tooth needs to be “prepped” again to put the veneer back on.

In short, holistic/biomimetic cosmetic work allows you to keep your cosmetics for, possibly, the rest of your life without having to worry too much about running out of tooth structure.

Also, this minimal prep technique helps to reduce sensitivity and chances for future problems with the teeth.

How can I be assured my new smile will look natural?

“Natural” is the byword of our entire office. If it’s not natural, it’s not us.

Look over our website heavily and you will find this question will prove itself out.

What is bio-compatible dentistry?

What you put in your mouth is, most likely, going to react with the whole body. It’s the front door to the whole body. Because of this we want to use materials that are NOT reactive to your body or blood. We use the Clifford Blood Reactivity Test to make this happen (www.ccrlab.com).

This test can be done by getting some blood drawn across the hall at a lab we work with. The blood draw is around $50 and the Clifford Blood Test is around $300.

I know Dr. O’Malley is a cosmetic dentist, but does he also do basic dental procedures?

Yes. We are eventually going to have a cleaning and check-up service that is as unique as our other services (plans are in the works!), but for now we just offer normal, run-of-the-mill cleanings and some of our patients prefer to get their cleanings done by a dentist close to their home.

What types of anesthetic do you use?

Mainly the following:

Septocaine (has epinephrine)
Carbocaine (no epinephrine)
Lidocaine (has epinephrine)

The doctor uses these or a specific combo of these depending on your current health condition.

What dental bonding materials do you generally use?

While we do recommend that people who are sensitive to materials do a Clifford Blood Test (www.ccrlab.com) to test for reactivity, we use the following bonding types generally:

Clearfil Majesty ES Flow
Admira Fusion
Clearfil Majesty Posterior
SE Prime-N-Bond
E-Max (generally on porcelain)
DC Prime and Bond by Kuraray
DC Core Paste
SE Select

*All these are BPA-free and conform with biomimetic principles – mimic the flexation of Mother Nature

Do you service children?

No. The youngest age we service is 18 years of age.

How much radiation will I get from your x-rays?

We just purchased a new x-ray machine which allows us to take them at the lowest level of exposure. You can also take calcium pills prior to the x-ray to protect the body from radiation. Another good tip is the use of nicotinic acid (niacin) after exposure to the x-ray in order to get any radiation out of the body. Please research and educate yourself as to the usage and dosages of these natural supplements as niacin can cause VERY intense reactions and should only be used by a highly educated person or under the personal care of a professional. Niacin is VERY powerful.