Dear Dr. Ellie:Just found you on Amazon while looking for a book by a holistic dentist in CT. I am trying to decide on a fixed bridge or implants. I am 70 and have made it this far with  no root canals. Also my dentist recommended a water pik. What is your thought on that.

I am looking forward to reading your site.
Thanks.S—————

Hi S,

Thank you so much for your question – I hope you enjoy the information we have on our websites.

http://www.Dr.Ellie.com (this is a hub and a good place to start) Here you will learn more about my position on oral health. At the “contact us’ part of the site you will see all the connections to other sites, testimonials, video etc.etc.

I have two other sites:
http://www.DrEcoaching.com where you can see video and sign up for personal help
http://www.Zellies.com where we have a blog, sign up for our newsletter and products for sale.

Implants
Today a mini implant can be done quickly and they are less invasive than a traditional implant.
I am certainly not a guru on implants – but I know people who are – and they speak highly of this as a way to go in many situations. 3M was the company who first introduced these – you would need to have a good assessment by your dentist – and they are not for every situation – and many people view them as “temporary”

On the other hand – depending on which tooth you need replaced – this may be something to consider.
Here is a place to start reading about mini implants:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_dental_implants

Periodontal Health
My system of care has allowed hundreds of people to heal their periodontal problems completely and easily. My system of rinses and adequate xylitol offers success to people who have had “cleanings and polishings” for decades with no improvement in their oral health. I teach everyone to clean their toothbrushes daily and brush their gums well. You have to brush the gums inside and outside the”arch” – focus on massaging your gums and don’t worry too much about brushing your teeth.

Pocketing will usually go away in about 2 months, reducing so that gums become totally healthy again (often to the amazement of the dental professionals).
I have discovered people who use the Waterpik do not get total resolution like this. Their pockets appear to stay at 4 mm and not reduce completely. They may go down from 7 to 4 – but then they get stuck.

This is why I prefer to recommend good rinsing ( my system of rinses), correct brushing with a toothbrush ( inside gums as well as outside) possibly probiotics and supplements to the diet, and of course xylitol!

Adding any of these features will help – by doing them all – the results will be amazing!

Wishing you a lifetime of sustainable oral health,
Thanks again for your message.

Ellie