What is ozone?

Ozone gas has many applications in Dentistry that can make your visit so much easier and healthier. Ozone gas, also known as activated Oxygen, is a molecule of Oxygen (O2) with an extra Oxygen atom added on (O3). When Ozone is applied to bacteria, it destroys it upon contact. Ozone can be applied as a gas, bubbled into oil and also bubbled into water. It has been used in Dentistry world wide since the 1930's, but sadly there are only a small percentage of dentists in the U.S. that are trained to use Ozone.

Cavities and Ozone

Cavities, also known as decay, are localized bacteria eating into your tooth structure. Traditional dentistry involves cutting off considerable amounts of healthy tooth structure to avoid leaving bacteria in the tooth.

In the best case scenario, if decay is located early enough, we can actually kill the bacteria that causes the decay with the application of ozone gas and then using a remineralizing agent, allowing the tooth to repair itself. This is done without any drilling or anesthesia and is completely non invasive.

If the decay has progressed a bit further, we can then use a painless air/ powder spray to remove the decay, leaving all healthy tooth structure alone. Ozone is applied and the tooth is remineralized and a small tooth colored filling is placed.

If the decay has progressed deeply into the tooth, we are now able to numb you painlessly, remove the decay with a minimal amount of drilling and place a restoration preserving all healthy tooth structure.

Gum Disease and Ozone

Gum disease is bacterial colonies living both on tartar stuck to teeth above and below the gum line, as well as in pockets that form around the teeth. These bacteria eat the food that you eat and send out waste products that first destroy the attachment of the gum to the tooth, creating a deeper pocket, and then destroy the actual bone holding the tooth in place.

Traditional gum disease treatment involves major cutting of the gums and suturing them to eliminate pockets, but has a long and painful healing process. It also doesn't address the bacteria problem and the disease can easily reoccur.

If someone has Gingivitis, which is gum disease primarily in the soft tissue of the gums, we treat that with gentle cleaning of the teeth and applying Ozone gas and oil to kill the bacteria. If the disease has progressed to the point of bone loss, we will also use a laser to kill more bacteria, along with the Ozone. Very often we fabricate custom trays to deliver Ozone to the entire mouth, which has the added advantage of stopping and preventing decay while also treating the gums. Some people who are prone to decay and/or gum disease have this done on a regular basis to maintain a healthy mouth.

Implants and Ozone

Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth and to stabilize loose dentures. Traditional dental implants involve cutting and surgically flapping back your gum on two separate visits and drilling a hole into your bone the size of a No. 2 pencil. Then you have to wait months for the area to heal before you can finish the job of putting in a post and making the crown. Using traditional implants to stabilize a loose denture also require the cutting, drilling and waiting.

Minimally Invasive Ozone Implants usually only take 2 visits, require no cutting of the gum, a hole in the bone only 2 millimeters wide and no long healing period. We use ozone gas, water and oil to promote much faster healing than any regular implant. Usually during the same visit that we place the implant, we place the crown. Because there are fewer visits and fewer parts involved, the cost is less as well. Finally, since Minimally Invasive Ozone Implants are much narrower, they can go places where traditional implants will not fit.

So if you or someone you know might consider having this very positive experience, please call 212-924-6890.