About Us

Recently we had to write a letter for one of our patients that talked about our practice, our philosophy, and what made us different from other dentists. We thought it would be nice to share, in part, what it said with our patients and friends.

"I am a general dentist who practices whole person dentistry. I look at the teeth as being part of the whole body. I like to treat my patients with the most natural approach possible. We use biocompatible dental materials. We do not use any toxic chemicals in our office. We take only digital x-rays which have 90 % less radiation then traditional film x-rays. This also allows us to eliminate the harsh chemicals used to develop traditional x-rays.

We have many patients who travel great distances to get special care in our office. Many or our patients have autoimmune diseases that cause them to be chemically sensitive. We do our best to accommodate their sensitivities."

In my practice, I am committed to giving our patients individualized care and really take to heart their concerns and sensitivities. We take pride in giving our patients the best care possible. Whether you are new to the practice or are a long time patient, we thought you'd appreciate knowing how we are different.

Hoping you are all well,
Richard Stickney

Night Guards & Teeth Grinding

Why I almost always recommend lower night guards for patients that clench and grind their teeth.

I have been a tooth clencher and grinder for probably my entire life. At the University I attended we were taught to make night guard on the upper jaw. The ones that were made for me were always uncomfortable and this went beyond just having the appliance in my mouth. They always felt tight and constricting. I attended the Pankey Institute in Miami Florida and they had a different view point. The night guards were recommended for the lower jaw. I made one for myself and found it to be far more comfortable than the ones I had been trained to make in dental school. It didn't occur to me why this was so until I took training in cranial sacral therapy with a local Osteopathic physician. (By the way I highly recommend this type of gentle manipulation of the bones of the skull and back. It is a gentle and highly effective therapy.) So in dental school we were taught that the skull ossified so the bones don't move. But when I trained with the Osteopath, she taught that she has to feel the subtle movements of the bones but also that if bones didn't move correctly it could cause problems with your wellness and vitality. There are 29 bones in the head. The lower jaw is the only bone not hooked to others by sutures. The lower jaw is suspended from the skull by ligaments, tendons and muscles. I think of it like this: placing an upper night guard has the benefit of protecting the teeth from clenching and grinding. But it has the side effect of binding the bones in place. This could affect the normal cranial sacral rhythm which could effect a patients comfort and vitality. Making the night guard on the lower arch still protects the teeth from clenching and grinding but actually stimulates cranial sacral movement. To me it is a simple issue. Build it on the lower unless it would compromise the health of the upper teeth. That could happen if the upper teeth are loose or have lost bone.

Here is an example where the tooth is worn down to the nerve canal and the enamel is 60 % gone. This tooth is half of it's normal size.

If you clench and grind your teeth, a night guard can really help. Night guards can also help people that suffer from headaches, TMJ, face, neck and shoulder pain and tension. This is some evidence they can even improve athletic performance.

Another amazing thing about clenching and grinding is patients may not even be aware they do it. I have asked numerous patients if they know they were doing it and most say no. It is amazing how out of touch we can be from our bodies. Ideally when you are relaxed the teeth should be slightly apart. A little space is good. An affirmation can be used to relax the jaws. "lips together, teeth apart."

To your health and well being!

Zero Tolerance for Bleeding Gums!!

The blog post today is short and sweet. Its taken from: (http://www.Zt4bg.com/ForthePublic.html)
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Imagine a raw wound the size of your palm on your arm. Now just rub the foulest dirt you can imagine into that wound. Do this twenty-four hours a day.

Think that'll be great for the rest of your body (let alone your arm!)??

Heck no, but that's what we do every day, day in and day out if we have bleeding gums ("gingivitis") or frank gum disease going down even deeper into the bone.

And big congratulations to The View that just discussed this newly emerging information.

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Pretty powerful statements huh? Do you think your bleeding gums are no big deal? Many people have the thought that "If it doesnt hurt, I don't need to fix it!" Well when your gums bleed, your body is telling you something, and that something is very important not only for the health of your mouth, but also for your body as a whole! One of the simplest ways to prevent bleeding gums is to change the way you brush your teeth, and floss at least once a day. Think of your toothbrush also as a "gum" brush. Brushing your gums 2 times a day is going to help keep them very healthy, along with regular office visits every 3-6 months depending on individual situations.

To your health,

Richard Stickney

Why Dental Examinations and X-rays Are So Important

Why are dental examinations and x-rays so important?

Dental conditions can change rapidly. Unfortunately, tooth decay and gum disease and even abscessed teeth often don't hurt. This is especially true with gum disease but tooth decay as well. The reason I say unfortunately is that if it hurt you would do something about it. Often times clients mistake no pain in the teeth and no bleeding gums when they brush as everything is fine. Virtually every day that I see clients we find something significant that the client was unaware of. The earlier we find a problem the easier it is to correct. My focus is on prevention of disease, and minimally invasive bio-compatable dentistry. Often times a client can prevent problems by making a few changes, such as: changing the way they clean their teeth, a diet change or taking anti inflammatory foods and herbs. The key to doing that is early detection. Find it before the problem is not reversible. Once problem is not reversible, we want to find it before it is a big problem. In the early stages the problem is easier to correct and less expensive. Even if it is more advanced when we find it we can often prevent bigger problems such as root canals and/or surgery. Again, the key is early detection. Early detection depends on having a dental team that focuses on excellence in diagnosis. Yesterday a patient told our receptionist, Kendra, that it is too expensive to come in twice a year for an examination and preventive care. I completely understand that. The challenge is that I saw several clients last week that had not come in for one to three years. Some of these people needed significant dental treatment. Most of it was preventable. So much can change in a relatively short time in the mouth. The best dental insurance isn't Washington Dental Insurance. It is brushing your teeth and gums at least 2 times a day. Floss your teeth at least one time a day. Avoid refined sugars. Come to the dental office two times or more per year for examination and preventive care. It is not a guarantee you won't have problems but it absolutely minimizes them. If there are problems we can prioritize them to reduce the impact of said problems.

Yesterday I had a client who refused x-rays. I understand why. I am sensitive about x-ray myself. I do not let TSA x-ray me at the airport because a hand search is simple. I have taken precautions to make our dental x-rays as safe as possible. I got one of the first digital x rays systems in Seattle in 1996 because it reduced x-ray exposure 80-90%. By getting this system I was able to eliminate the toxic developing and fixing solutions from our office so we don't have to breathe them or dispose them into the environment. The state of Washington inspector visited us last fall and found our system to be working perfectly. He commented that our system put out about 40% less than even other digital systems.

We use a lead apron to cover potentially sensitive areas. We even have a green tea extract that has been reported to have protective effect when exposed to x-ray.

Here is an actual patient x-ray showing what can be found underneath. None of these things hurt but the abscess is dumping toxins into the body. The decay is almost to the nerve. It looks like three root canals would be necessary with build ups and crowns. The back tooth might need to be removed. So there is a real benefit to having x-rays at the recommended interval which I customize to each patient depending on their risk factors. If you ever have questions about the reason why we make a recommendation do not hesitate to ask.

Be well,

Richard Stickney