Modern Dentistry for Better Health

By Sue Cullen | Photos by Nancy Guth

Modern dentistry goes far beyond good oral hygiene and sparkling smiles thanks to the growing understanding of the major impact dental health has on overall health and wellbeing. Past research also backs what we each know for ourselves–that looking in the mirror and liking what we see is a powerful confidence booster and mood enhancer.

Dr. Jill Morris and Dr. Burr Bakke of World Class Dentistry and Facial Esthetics (941.923.6363/sarasotadentist.com) have created a comprehensive, holistic dentistry practice over the past 32 years that has been dedicated to staying on the forefront of dental medicine. The two dentists also have degrees in naturopathic medicine and offer patients leading edge treatments in general, cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry that range from supplements to help prevent tooth decay and safe removal of old mercury-laced fillings to neuromuscular bite correction, relief from sleep apnea and TMJ, orthopedic orthodontics and nonsurgical face lifts.

“Integrative doctors realize dentists are at the forefront of a person’s health. We get training in Europe and all over the world and try to stay at the leading edge,” Morris said. “Our goal is to get someone back to health with the hope that they will not need more dental treatment again other than maintenance.” This focus on oral health has become more crucial as gum disease has been linked to heart and lung disease, diabetes, stroke, certain cancers, premature birth and low birth weight as well as autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. “We find there are an extremely small number of dentists, holistic or not, who treat as comprehensively as we do,” Bakke said. “We go through everything we can do for someone’s health, and a beautiful smile is the bonus.”

The link between gum disease and diseases of the body likely comes down to inflammation, which is being linked to a growing number of health issues. Diseased gums allow bacteria to invade the bloodstream constantly, which triggers the immune system, and inflammation is a by-product of the body fighting off those invaders. As an alternative to gum surgery to correct the problem, Morris and Bakke have used advanced lasers to remove unhealthy tissue and sterilize the pocket surrounding the tooth since 1996. They also take an extra step in all dental cleanings by employing ozone for its antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic properties. Growth factors in a patient’s own blood are isolated and used to speed healing following surgeries, implants, and bone and tissue grafts. 

“Physicians refer very sick patients to us who have cancer or autoimmune diseases,” Morris said. “They want us to get unhealthy dental situations taken care of in a safe way. Patients who are very sick also find us through the internet. We just saw a cancer patient who went through chemotherapy and radiation and wanted her mercury fillings out safely.” Old “silver” fillings often are 50 percent mercury, and mercury vapor is very toxic. “Mercury is a neurotoxin and affects the immune system and how cells communicate with each other,” she said. “It is important to remove it safely or the patient can get a huge dose. To protect our patients, we put them on a different airway, use a special dam and place mercury catchers in the room. It’s like a hazmat situation.”

One cancer patient who traveled from Sun City Center to have her mercury amalgam fillings out safely also suffered from dry mouth, a common condition with serious dental consequences that can be caused by medications, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Not having enough saliva to wash away food and reduce plaque buildup can lead to decay and gum disease. “Dry mouth is devastating to dentition, and in this patient’s case, she did not have the immunity to fight decay due to her treatment,” Morris said. “Because of our holistic training, we have found nutritional supplements that reverse decay. They re-harden teeth so patients don’t have to have enormous dental expenses and eventually lose their teeth.” 

Recommendations for supplementation are made following a blood analysis and often include boosting intake of vitamin D. They recommend taking a D3 supplement–which is essential for calcium absorption–in conjunction with dental surgeries. “People aren’t getting enough vitamin D from the sun,” Bakke said. “The most recent research shows that if a patient’s vitamin D3 level is low, there is a much higher incidence of implant loss. The bone does not heal well.”

As a result of their approach to seeking alternative solutions, Morris and Bakke have brought a number of dental advances to the area including orthopedic orthodontics, which can alleviate overcrowding and correct misalignment of the teeth and jaw in adults and children. It also can correct breathing issues by expanding airways and has offered relief for those suffering from sleep apnea and TMJ, which causes jaw pain. “Because of our poor diet, people are starting to look different structurally. We are growing narrow dental arches that impinge on the airway and impact breathing,” Morris said. “We are reversing that with orthopedic orthodontics and bringing these narrow arches to their DNA potential.” 

For children, poor breathing can affect sleep, concentration, ability to play sports, and has been linked to ADHD. Treatment also can give children a better quality of life throughout their life. They can avoid sleep apnea as adults, which may shorten life span by 15 years. One fortunate side effect of treatment is that it produces more aesthetically pleasing facial proportions for children and adults. 

Former orthodontic treatments to alleviate overcrowding of teeth have involved the removal of several teeth and then straightening and realigning the remaining teeth, but this can create issues later in life. “Orthopedic orthodontics can help. When teeth have been pulled out, the jaw recedes back, which leaves no space for the tongue so it drops back into the throat causing sleep apnea,” Bakke said. “Bone grows at any age, and we can help a lot of people with sleep apnea and TMJ.” Even patients in their 70s can be helped. An oral appliance is worn at night and treatment typically takes less than a year. For sleep apnea, lasers also can be employed to stimulate collagen production to tighten tissues that have become flabby and inflamed.

Both dentists pay meticulous attention to ensuring patients’ bites are correct because an incorrect bite not only can damage teeth and cause migraines, but affects the entire body. With aging, teeth may become misaligned, which causes deflection in the jaw that can lead to headaches and pain in the neck, shoulders and back. Morris and Bakke often work with specialists, such as functional chiropractors and osteopathic physicians who refer patients for bite correction. Combining advanced technology with a neuromuscular approach to correcting a patient’s bite can provide high precision outcomes. 

“Without correcting the bite first, the correction to the neck or back will relapse. With neuromuscular bite correction, we relax the muscles and track the jaw to find the most comfortable position and then restore the jaw to that position through orthodontics and dental work,” Bakke said. “We have a new computer in the lab that can fine tune that bite within hundredths of millimeters so we can avoid excess pressure in any area, which can create a deflection in the jaw.” 

One study found that an imperfect bite can set off the body’s fight or flight response. “The study found that restoring the bite produced less triggers to the adrenal and sympathetic nervous systems,” Morris said. “Eliminating those triggers can help with a person’s overall feeling of wellbeing because their system does not feel under attack.” For some patients, other procedures may provide the solution to bite issues including orthodontics or dental implants, and they have intentionally created a practice that offers those options in one location. 

Staying at the forefront of available technology also has helped them create successful outcomes. Bakke was one of the first in the country to use a dental CAT scan for dental implants. Today, using a CAT scan for implants is considered the standard of care because it allows for precise surgical placement of the–typically titanium–post into the jaw. The post then acts as the “root” to which a crown is attached replacing the tooth. They recently invested in the newest generation CAT scan with the ability to generate a 360-degree view of a single tooth. It also takes facial photos and can superimpose those on the underlying teeth and bone so the dentist can evaluate facial aesthetics as well, which is an additional advantage for cosmetic dentistry.

Bakke also was one of the early pioneers using implants with fixed bridges in the All-on-4™ system. Now, Bakke is again at the forefront of implantology by offering non-metal zirconia dental implants. Zirconia has been used in dental crowns in the U.S. for many years and is valued for its strength and appearance. Although it has been used in Europe for implants, it is now available here as an option for people who are reluctant to put metal in their bodies or who may have sensitivities to metal. There are no known allergies to zirconia.

Once a person’s dental health has been restored and their teeth are healthy and sound, a patient’s cosmetic concerns can be addressed, such as porcelain crowns or veneers and even a nonsurgical facelift, which is an outcome of neuromuscular bite correction. Bringing the jaw and teeth into proper placement improves saggy facial skin, jowls, sunken facial appearance and facial proportions and often is used with cosmetic dentistry, which creates more youthful, sparkling smiles. World Class Dentistry also offers esthetic services including Botox for minimizing lines and wrinkles and dermal fillers for cheek sculpting and perfectly shaped, well-proportioned lips. Anti-aging skincare options include lasers, micro-needling, PRP treatments and other technologies that stimulate collagen production, which improves skin elasticity and appearance. 

Morris has trained in Europe for facial aesthetics using neuromodulators and fillers. “People trust us because we do such major work for them, so it is convenient for them to have esthetic work here as well,” she said. “A lot of times patients want us to do their lips or another procedure while they are still numb from dental work, and Botox lasts about three months, so some patients schedule that along with their teeth cleanings.”

Effectively incorporating so many advanced treatments into their practice is a result of experience and education. In addition to having more than 30 years of experience, both Morris and Bakke are committed to education for themselves and their patients. They taught for many years at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies where dentists bring their patients for the most up to date treatments and technologies. Both also have degrees in naturopathic medicine from the College of Integrative Medicine and Dentistry, which focuses on supporting the body’s built-in healing capabilities and treating the whole person. Morris also is the only local dentist accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

“People come to us who may not even be able to chew or just don’t like the way they look. That can affect your outlook on life,” Morris said. “We are able to give them back their function, their smile and help them look years younger. A lot of patients feel they get back their lives. You can smile and feel good about your smile.”