TOXIC CAVITATIONS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
A dental cavitation is a hole in the jawbone that has not healed. The most common cause of this hole is having a tooth extracted. The extraction may have happened recently or years, even decades earlier. They can also occur near the roots of existing root canal teeth. It is estimated that 95% of all tooth extractions cause a cavitation to form. (Actually, a cavitation can form in any bone of the body, but we’re just talking about teeth here.)
Our understanding of how this happens is a bit complex. Let’s see if we can shed some light on the process.
Normally, if a bone was broken or damaged, the bone would heal itself. There are special cells within the bone (called osteoblasts) that make new bone. These bone-forming cells are activated when the bone is damaged. This is how bones heal.
However, this may not happen with damage to the jawbone caused by removing a tooth. You see, numerous microscopic fibers connect the tooth to the jawbone. These fibers are called the periodontal ligament.
One of the functions of the periodontal ligament is to stop the osteoblasts from forming new bone growth between the jaw and the tooth. If this were not the case, your teeth would become a permanent part of your jawbone. This would not allow for growth or movement of your teeth.
During extraction, the periodontal ligament breaks somewhere in the middle, leaving half the fibers in the empty tooth socket and the other half still attached to the root of the tooth.
So, if any of the periodontal ligament is left in the tooth socket after extraction, new bone growth in the empty socket will be impeded – thus forming a cavitation. Unfortunately, most dentists are not taught to fully remove the periodontal ligament after extraction.
However, the real problem isn’t a few holes in the jawbone.
When the bone dies and a cavitation forms, bacteria migrate into this hole. Since these bacteria live without oxygen, they are called anaerobic. The waste material produced by these bacteria is among the most toxic organic material in existence. This highly toxic material is slowly and constantly being released into the body.
This constant and slow poisoning of the body is why dental cavitations are so dangerous to your health.
Welcome to -
The Painful Truth: Uncovering the Link Between Jawbone Cavitations and Chronic Disease
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Part I. Introduction - Chapter 1
A brief introduction to toxic dental cavitations.
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Chapter 2
You may have a toxic dental cavitation and not even know it – which is why we call them “hidden”.
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Chapter 3
Learn what causes these areas of toxic dead, or dying bone in the jaw and how they are related to chronic health issues that you can be suffering from and unable to heal.
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Chapter 4
If you have had one or more teeth extracted, you may have a hidden dental cavitation. There is growing evidence that tooth extraction can lead to the development of hidden dental cavitations. This is especially true for wisdom teeth. Why does this matter? Because these pus-filled cavitations can contain 20 to 30 different types of bacteria. These bacteria, even in low concentrations, can produce poisons that are more toxic than botulism.
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Chapter 5
Holistic dentists have long known that root canals can become infected and lead to very serious health complications. We are now finding that the root canal procedure can also lead to hidden dental cavitations. If you have had a root canal procedure, we would encourage you to have this evaluated by a dentist who is familiar with detecting these hidden cavitations. In this chapter, we will explore the possible ways root canals can lead to dental cavitations.
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Chapter 6
The connection between jawbone cavitations and chronic disease has long been a topic of controversy within the medical and dental fields. However, recent research has shed light on the potential link between these untreated cavitations and a variety of health issues.
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Chapter 7
Many professionals in the medical and dental communities do not believe that there is a connection between dental cavitations and chronic illness. However, recent studies have suggested that untreated jawbone cavitations may be associated with a range of symptoms and health problems.
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Chapter 8
Dental cavitations are areas of dead tissue that develop in the jawbone as a result of improper tooth extractions or periodontal disease. These areas of dead tissue can become a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to the development of an infection. If left untreated, dental cavitations can have serious consequences for a person’s oral and overall health. In this section, we will discuss the dangers of untreated dental cavitations and the importance of seeking treatment for these lesions.
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Chapter 9
Hidden dental cavitations are often overlooked or misdiagnosed, leading many people to suffer unnecessarily from the symptoms they can cause. These areas of silent inflammation are generally asymptomatic and unknown to the patient. Healthcare practitioners are also not likely to be aware of their presence.In this section, we will explore the various symptoms that can be associated with dental cavitations. By understanding the signs and symptoms of cavitations, readers can be more attuned to their oral health and seek appropriate medical care if necessary.
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Chapter 10
Various methods may be used to diagnose dental cavitations. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for proper treatment. Diagnosing dental cavitations may involve a combination of physical examination, medical history review, and imaging tests. Some common diagnostic tools used to detect cavitations include X-rays and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
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Chapter 11
Treatment options for dental cavitations will depend on the underlying cause of the cavitation and the severity of the condition. In general, the goal of treatment for dental cavitations is to remove the infected or damaged tissue, improve micro-circulation, disinfect the site, promote the healing of the surrounding bone, and prevent the recurrence of the cavitation.
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Chapter 12
Since most cavitations are asymptomatic, it’s unlikely that you will know if you have one. To determine if you have a dental cavitation, your holistic dentist will likely perform a physical examination of your mouth and review your medical history. They may also order imaging tests, such as X-rays, CBCT scans, or ultrasound scans to help visualize the cavitation and assess the extent of the damage.
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Addendum
To date, various interventions have been proposed to help prevent or control jawbone cavitation, such as non-surgical periodontal therapy, antibiotics, smoking cessation, and systemic medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), bisphosphonates, and calcitonin. However, the targeted inhibition of RANTES/CCL5 has not been approved for use in humans yet. More research is needed to determine its effectiveness and safety in the human population.
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Return to the Top
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can you explain the bone growth process? Are the holes you are detecting from bone not growing where the extractions took place?
Yes, the bone regeneration did not occur properly due to inadequate debridement of the socket following the extraction.
What is the cause of the low bone density? Did the bone not grow back or is it deteriorating?
The poor bone density is due to the improper healing of the site. This occurs due to the poor circulation of blood to the site because of the debris that was not properly removed.
What instrument do you use to determine the bone density? How reliable is it?
The bone density is determined using the 3-D cone beam. It is extremely accurate for determining the density of the bone
Do the ultrasound images that I was given showi the area where the tooth would be or the hole in the jaw bone?
The ultrasound photos indicate the area where the extracted tooth was and the surrounding bone.
Does Ozone treatment work to help the bone regrow?
Ozone is very effective in destroying the microorganisms in the site, but it does not restore the normal circulation to the site required for normal bone growth. Also, the infection will return after the effects of the ozone are decreased as there is still an anaerobic environment.
What is the cost and the procedure for the Ozone injections?
The cost of ozone injections is $175 per site. It involves placing a port into the area of the cavitation and injecting ozone into the port to reach the site of concern.
The technician that performed my ultrasound scan said that usually, you find bacteria in the area of bone loss…. are these bacteria necrotic or just present? Has it been cultured to determine the type? Does its presence absolutely confirm infection or is it just a ‘pocket’?
There is DNA testing that can be performed to determine what microorganisms are present. The ultrasound does not indicate what is present but based on studies the instrument is very accurate using a very specific algorithm to determine the presence of infection.
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How urgent is this surgery? What happens if I let it go? I’m sure there are risks, but can you explain them to me? How likely are these risks to actually come to fruition? Have there been other patients who decline the surgery and then are fine? What time frame am I working with?
I would not state the surgery is urgent as this issue has been present since the extraction of the teeth. This is a chronic issue that is difficult to measure what the consequences are if not treated. There is typically no direct cause and effect but usually, these sites are interference fields that may prevent the normal healing of any health issue someone may have. In most cases these areas of silent inflammation are asymptomatic. There are risks with any surgery including irritation to a nerve near the extraction site or perforation of the sinus. This is very rare and has not occurred in any of my patients over the 20+ year period I’ve been doing these surgeries.
If I do decide to wait what symptoms am I looking for to know it is time to do the surgery (without it being too late?
There are no specific symptoms related to cavitations as it’s different for everyone. It is possible that any of the sites could become symptomatic including swelling and/or pain.
I have the MTHFR gene which makes me sensitive to medications at best. Have you used Triazolam on other patients with MTHFR? What happens if I have a reaction to the medicine? What would your response be?
Are you MTHFR homozygous or heterozygous? Either way there is no contraindication to Triazolam. If you are homozygous there is a concern w/ administering nitrous oxide. We can provide methylated B vitamins to counter any issue or simply not administer this.
Are there other choices of meds that I could take if my family physician doesn’t think I will tolerate the Triazolam well?
Triazolam is the best overall choice. Other options include Valium or Midazolam. We also do offer specific supplements, homeopathics, and essential oils that are very effective to reduce any anxiety. There is a technique called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or Tapping. I can send you an e-book I wrote describing this technique.
What dose of Triazolam would you give?
.25 mg Triazolam
What do you hope to gain from the surgery? How will we know it ‘worked’?
The goal is to get bone to grow into the site as well as restore normal circulation to the area. A new ultrasound and CBCT can be taken at 90 days to evaluate the success of the surgery.
What is your success rate? What do you think went wrong in the cases it did not succeed?
We have a very high success rate with Grade 3’s and Grade 4’s reducing mostly to Grade 0 and occasionally only reducing to Grade 1. This is our metric for determining the success of the surgery but does not necessarily relate to what is happening systemically.
What is the recovery time and what does that look like in terms of what I can do and not do?
The recovery time is 10-14 days, which includes no physical activity except walking for the first 7-10 days. Especially no Yoga or inversions or anything else where your head is lower than your heart.
How long is the surgery? If I have to get bloodwork, can that be done in advance or does it have to be done the same day?
The surgery typically takes 1 ½ hours per quadrant with 15-20 minutes ahead to prep for the blood draw and get you situated in the chair. The blood draw must occur the same day just prior to the surgery. It cannot be drawn any earlier.
If I were not to get the surgery, what are the risks and how likely are they really?
There is no way to determine the risks of not having the procedures as there is typically not a direct cause-and-effect relationship with any systemic health issue.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO YOUR DENTAL CARE
Our goal at Julian Center for Toxic-Free Dentistry is to treat your oral health problems with your total body wellness in mind. We keep our practice fluoride-free because we feel it’s best to find alternatives rather than expose you to the potential dangers associated with fluoride. If you’d like to learn more about our holistic approach to your care, or if you’re ready to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sambataro, contact our Ellicott City office at (410) 964-2865. We look forward to meeting you!