The field of oral medicine has come a very long way since 1723, when “The Father of Modern Dentistry,” French surgeon Pierre Fauchard, wrote The Surgeon Dentist, A Treatise on Teeth. While valuable advancements have been made since then, it was in 1984 that the formation of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) and its field of biological dentistry became by far the most innovative and all-encompassing medical tour de force in dentistry. Progressive, cutting-edge dentists such as Dr. Scott Silver, DMD, founder of Biological Dentists of New Jersey, in Haddon Township, make it a point to keep current on the ongoing education provided by the IAOMT’s group of interdisciplinary and independent medical and scientific research professionals that advocate for safe dentistry with biocompatible materials.

Silver, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, belongs to numerous professional organizations such as the Holistic Dentistry Association (HDA) and IAOMT, which describe holistic and biological dentistry as an attitude that can be applied to all facets of dental practice as well as overall health care. “It was easy to align with the their perspectives on the health of the mouth because I have long had a holistic view of the mouth as an integral part of the health of the whole person,” says Silver, whose memberships provide him with access to valuable education that he uses in numerous ways to provide treatment for patients while considering their biological terrain.

To determine a patient’s sensitivity to particular dental materials, one of Silver’s reliable testing devices is the Quantum Infinity Pro. This biofeedback device with software determines what is best for the overall health of their body and mouth. “I don’t use mercury amalgam because the scientific evidence presented by IOMT has established beyond any doubt that chronic exposure to mercury, in the quantity released by amalgam, causes physiological harm,” says Silver, who notes that the biofeedback device is a good tool that acts like a second option. He also tests patients for their sensitivity level by a standard blood test.

Silver also uses other progressive protocols in areas such as addressing sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition that has only recently attracted the interest of dentists and sleep specialists as well as a great deal of public attention.

Silver suggests an oral dental appliance as a treatment option for children that snore loudly, suffer from poor sleep and whose teeth might later require more serious orthodontic devices. A simple appliance helps a child get a more restful sleep, which restores their alertness during school hours. Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea may contribute to daytime sleepiness and behavioral problems including difficulties in school. Following a night of poor sleep, children are more likely to be hyperactive and have difficulty paying attention.

“Preventive appliances help to create a larger airway and change the shape of the mouth as well as the position of the jaw to make room for the tongue to lay in its correct position at the roof of the mouth. From such a preventive perspective, problems can be corrected early in life and the benefits continue long into adulthood. This solution does however require parent cooperation to make sure children use them,” advises Silver.

Silver takes pride in the fact that he practices in the same office and location where his father began his career as a dentist in the 1940s. “We have been seeing patients in this office for 60 years and we are still using the same old-fashioned ‘patient first’ style that my dad role-modeled for me when I joined his practice in 1982. I am on a first-name basis with the majority of my patients, which I’ve known for so long,” says Silver.

The majority of Silver’s new patients do their research before making an appointment. They are committed to their health and know what they want. While some are mothers and fathers who are looking for holistic treatments for their children, all are interested in Silver’s philosophy of promoting health and vitality as well as restoration from the perspective of form and function.

Biological Dentists of New Jersey offers a wide variety of procedures from routine dental exams to a more integrative holistic approach to comprehensive dental services such as non-surgical periodontal therapy, TMJ therapy, and therapy for sleep apnea, as well as biocompatible material testing, and cosmetic dentistry.

Biological Dentists of New Jersey, 621 White Horse Pike, Haddon Township. Call 856-854-4354. Visit BiologicalDentistsOfNewJersey.com.