Services We Offer
General Integrative Dentistry
At Integrative Dentistry, we combine principles and state of-the-art-techniques of modern dentistry with natural and biological concepts. Our doctors and hygienists are skilled and proficient in providing preventative care such as comprehensive exams, dental cleanings, X-ray interpretation, dental diagnosis and treatment planning.
Our office provides restorative and prosthetic procedures, mercury-free fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures and implant restorations. We strive to give a different kind of approach to your oral health, looking at the mouth and body as a whole. We will help you make safe, informed decisions benefiting your overall health.
We extensively research and then practice dentistry with a biological emphasis. Biological dentistry recognizes the link between oral health and general health and appreciates that any oral issues or materials placed in the mouth can have lasting effects on other systems. Working with like-minded health care professionals we analyze material compatibility, provide nutritional support, and identify systemic detoxification steps to help remove toxins from the body.
More and more, patients want to know that the materials being used in their treatment are not only high quality, but also safe. At Integrative Dentistry, we can assure you they are. Through compatibility testing, we have the ability to gain information on material sensitivities a patient may have and go to great lengths to avoid the toxic effect of foreign materials. We do not carry any mercury containing materials or use routine fluoride treatments in our practice. In addition, Dr. Yesin has created a highly effective protocol for safely removing amalgam fillings.
The foundation of our practice is built around a natural approach, we offer supportive alternative therapies in conjunction with the routine dental treatments. Issues relating to infected root canals and past teeth extractions, effects of poor diet, sleep, and lifestyle. We are proponents of supplementing proper dental care with primary and functional medicine, Nutrition counseling, detoxification, herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, and homeopathy as all those modalities play integral roles in optimal dental and whole body health.
Cosmetic Services
Having discolored or chipped teeth can be quite uncomfortable to some people, even more upsetting when it is combined with abrasions, grinded teeth, chipped or broken teeth, and unevenly shaped teeth. So much of our self-confidence can be boiled down to the way that our smiles look, and if we are nervous or ashamed about the way that our teeth are, then we will often not smile that much, if at all. What can we do about that?
Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a brilliant, safe, and painless way of giving yourself the smile that you have always wanted, correcting those concerns like bad spacing, yellowing teeth, and broken teeth. Thankfully to modern dentistry and use of strong and safe bonding materials the process became less invasive with the minimal need to grind and cut into the healthy tooth structure. Gaps between teeth, tetracycline discolorations, size differences and minor misalignment are the main indications. Veneers are very durable and made of thin color matched porcelain, special bonded to the teeth. Veneers can last up to 20+ years with the proper care.
Bondings
Bondings are made out of composite and are a great and more economical way than veneers to improve the shape (gaps, misalignment) and shade of teeth instantly. The procedure can be done in one day. Bondings are expected to last as long as composite fillings, about 5-10 years, on average
Teeth whitening
Happy with the shape and size of your teeth but the shade could be lighter? We offer on office and take home whitening solutions for safe and effective cosmetic improvement.
Restorative Dentistry
Filling
There are several ways to replace tooth structure that is missing. Usually for small caries lesions a filling is sufficient. After removing infected tooth structure, the tooth is disinfected and a tooth colored composite is bonded to the dentin and enamel.
Crown and onlays
A crown or onlay has the main function to protect a tooth circumferential from breaking, providing structural integrity to the tooth combined with optimal chewing and cosmetic properties for the patient. Onlays or crowns become necessary if the defect is too large to place a filling. Our crowns are full porcelain, custom hand made by one of the best local laboratories.
Implant restoration
We work with the trusted surgical specialists to develop a plan and provide a proper replacement for the missing or failing dentition. We can discuss which material is most appropriate for your case and our surgeons work with zirconium and titanium dental implants. After the healing period we’ll work with you and the local lab to make the natural looking porcelain final restoration.
Bridge
Another option for the missing tooth replacement is a dental bridge. It is indicated when there are solid anchoring teeth on either side of the empty space and implant is contraindicated or not desired by the patient.
Denture
Denture is the removable prosthesis to replace missing teeth either temporarily or permanently. It is made with acrylic teeth either as a full denture covering part of the gums and palate or as partial dentures fixed via metal clasps or flexible non-metal base on the remaining teeth in the mouth. A denture needs to be removed frequently for proper care to insure comfort and gum health. It is a valuable option for someone missing multiple teeth and is non invasive.
Digital x-rays
X-rays tend to get a bad wrap for radiation and health concerns – but when done digitally, there are many benefits. There are many ways in which digital x-rays are superior to traditional x-rays – the following are our top three:
Less Radiation: While radiation is inevitable from x-rays, digital x-rays do have far lower levels than those emitted through traditional x-rays. In fact, digital x-rays produce levels of radiation that are 80% lower than traditional film X-rays.
Comfort: Traditional x-rays require a process of lead bibs and biting down on papers that produce great discomfort between jaw cramps, awkward biting, and cutting edges inside the mouth. With digital x-rays, rather than biting paper, you will receive a sensor inside your mouth that is connected to a computer via a thin wire. The sensor receives the images of your teeth and can be moved to various locations within your mouth to capture additional images. This method of capturing x-ray photographs is far less intrusive and much more comfortable for patients.
Quality: Beyond the convenience and patient comfort perks, digital x-ray technology displays viewable images in as little as three seconds, saving on time for both the patients and technicians. Additionally, because the images are digital, they are easier to resize into larger or smaller images, depending on the need – all without distorting the graphic or losing important details that the original images hold. For patients, this means easier to understand images that make finding a decay spot or abnormality more easily visible.
Using digital imaging is considered more environmentally friendly, as it alleviates the need for chemicals and film paper to be disposed. Digital x-rays often provide for easier referrals and insurance claims as well.
Tooth Whitening
Over time, your teeth can go from white to not so bright for a number of reasons:
Teeth whitening is a simple process. We use whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide. This bleaches and breaks stains into smaller pieces, which makes the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter.
Some people who use teeth whiteners may experience tooth sensitivity. That happens when the peroxide in the whitener gets through the enamel to the soft layer of dentin and irritates the nerve of your tooth. In most cases the sensitivity is temporary. You can delay treatment and then try again.
Safe Amalgam Removal
At Integrative Dentistry, we go above and beyond the standards of dentistry to protect our patients, our external environment and ourselves. Many dentists provide treatments to remove mercury fillings from the mouth. However, most neglect to take the extra steps needed to ensure the safety and long-term well-being of all involved in the process. In our office we take utmost care in protecting you, and everyone else during our safe mercury removal procedure.
We adhere to a highly effective safe mercury removal protocol, specifically developed as the result of the studies taught by IAOMT and Grube-Huggins Applied Healing for patients concerned about the health effects of traditional amalgam fillings. We often collaborate with a naturopathic/ functional care doctor to ensure your individual recommendations match your individual physiology and personal health status.
During the procedure itself, numerous protective measures are taken to limit exposure from the loosened mercury. This may include the use of rubber dams, coolants, vacuum systems, room filters, negative ion generators as well as taking additional protective steps to shield you and our team. Once your filling has been removed, we follow all safety and biohazard protocols, such as amalgam separator collection units, to ensure we are also doing our due diligence in keeping our environment safe and preventing pollution of the SF Bay.
It is our job to make sure your filling is replaced with the safest replacement materials available. We offer access to compatibility testing for chemically sensitive individuals to ensure the materials being used in your new restoration will least likely to cause any reactions.
As Mercury Free Dentists, we don’t intend or claim to cure any disease or stop any symptom by simply removing the fillings from your teeth. We rely on and work closely with other holistic health care practitioners as they will then help you test and cleanse your body of the toxins. Through the extensive training, experience, passion, and concern needed to deliver a safe and gentle experience for our patients and environment our doctors and team will be happy to address your individual condition as the part of your dental care.
Dr. Yesin is a member of International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and is strictly following IOMT safe amalgam removal guidelines.
Invisalign - clear braces for adults
Most people believe that the reason for aligning teeth as being an aesthetic issue – to make things look better. Having teeth having aligned teeth is an important part of a person’s health profile. Aesthetic improvement is only one of the reasons for aligning teeth. The most important reasons, though, for aligning teeth and creating enough space for all teeth is that will provide a better airway, improving gum health through easier hygiene and correction of the bite.
Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear, virtually invisible custom-molded aligners and lets you have the smile you’ve always wanted – without the metal, appearance or discomfort of braces. They are removed for eating and cleaning. They are gentle, with light forces used to create a better shape in the upper and lower jaws.
The clear alternative to metal braces
By using a series of clear, removable aligners, Invisalign straightens the teeth with results you’ll notice sooner than you think. The course of treatment involves changing aligners approximately every two weeks, moving your teeth into straighter position step by step, until you have a more beautiful smile. And unlike braces, these clear aligners can be removed while you eat and brush your teeth as usual. They are far more comfortable than braces, eliminating the pain associated with wire changes in fixed braces. The forces are gentler and kinder to your teeth.
Less treatment time
An average Invisalign course of treatment takes about a 1-1,5 years. You’ll see us every 6 to 8 weeks for adjustments and to check progress. At regular intervals, you’ll receive a new set of custom-molded clear aligners to continue the straightening process. The total number of clear aligners is specific to you, determined by your doctor for your course of treatment.
Since Invisalign is practically invisible, there’s no unwarranted attention to your mouth. In fact, very few people will notice at all – unless you tell them. They’re comfortable to wear and remove easily when you eat, brush, and floss.
Green Practices
Integrative dentistry has had an amalgam separator since day one in the effort to avoid mercury pollution in our beautiful San Francisco Bay. This device takes all the wastewater coming from our office and separates out the mercury amalgam scraps before it goes into sewer lines. Later on, filter is properly disposed with San Francisco environmental services and a bio hazardous waste.
We use Digital Radiography, which uses 80% less radiation and requires absolutely no toxic chemicals to process the film. Thus we have much less hazardous waste to dispose of.
We are limiting the amount of waste that we produce by using reusable air tips, recyclable surface barriers, and patient bibs.
Our treatment rooms are sterilized between each patient with the only OSHA approved disinfectant that is non-toxic and biodegradable.
Our office is equipped with the latest dry vacuum system, minimizing water and electricity usage.
Our office has air filters and ionizers that are purifying the air that we work in and creating a more pleasant environment for our patients and our world.
We installed bamboo flooring during our office remodel that uses no glue and is a naturally antiseptic material. Bamboo is eco-friendly because it’s a grass and it regenerates in a few years.
We have non-VOC paint throughout the office.
Our cleaning service uses non-toxic cleaning supplies that we provide for them and we stock our office with recycled and recyclable products when available.
Biocompatible Materials
For some, the effects of dental materials on their health can be significant. Today we are exposed to thousands of newly developed potentially toxic substances. The effects on health of man-made substances vary from person to person. Some may not be affected, while, for others, the same substance may be toxic and elicit a harmful reaction. Those substances can come from many sources, including the materials and medications used in medical and dental treatment.
The simplest definition of biocompatibility is the ability of a substance to exist within, or alongside, living things without harming them. The biocompatibility of a dental material refers to the ability of the material to provide the desired function without causing any undesirable local or systemic effects in the body. This means it will not cause any kind of allergic inflammatory response, or any other undesirable reaction in the individual.
Today, there are over 2,000 different dental materials in use and no one material is 100% suited for everyone. Some people may be allergic to certain materials, and others may be sensitive to them to various degrees. Unlike a food, which can be readily removed from the diet if you find that you’re allergic to it, once a dental material is placed in or over a tooth, it’s there 24 hours a day, every day.
Allergies to dental materials may not be a problem for a majority of people exposed to them. But if you happen to have a weak or overactive immune system or are sensitive to any one of the different metals, compounds, chemicals, and products used in dentistry, these materials could present a challenge to your health.
We would be happy to refer you for the laboratory tests, if necessary. After we receive the results, will order your most compatible dental material to minimize chance of harm to your body. We are always on the lookout for the newest least toxic materials to use on all of our patients every day.
ALF as an alternative to braces
Here at Integrative Dentistry, we specialize in (Advanced Lightwire Functional) appliances also known as ALF. It is a method of using light forces to align teeth and improve the bite in the effort to minimize the use of traditional braces. It addresses alignment of the head and neck bones using principles of cranial osteopathy. It brings about changes in muscle function to achieve stable results. ALF is a whole-body approach to improve overall health and well-being.
ALF was developed and popularized by Dr. Nordstrom in 1982.
How it works
The ALF appliance is made of a light, highly flexible wire that enhances the Craniosacral-Rhythm (the rhythmical movement of the skull bones and Cerebrospinal fluid). It works like a craniosacral adjustment 24 hours a day by freeing up cranial strains and allows for the realignment of soft cranial bones. It addresses alignment of the bones (orthopedic treatment) using principles of cranial osteopathy. It brings about changes in muscle function to achieve stable results.
How long do I have to wear it?
Generally, it takes about 2 to 3 days to adjust to the appliance. Speech may be affected in the beginning as your tongue gets used to it. Reading out loud to yourself will speed up this adjustment period. Treatment duration and technique vary between patients according to individual needs. Most of the functional treatment can be done with ALF appliances, and myofunctional trainers, later on traditional orthodontic treatment may be necessary for the final alignment. Osteopathic care and myofunctional therapy are highly recommended to compliment ALF and speed up the progress. In general treatment time ranges anywhere from 1-3 year and needs to be worn all the time.
Dr.Yesin started the journey of learning about ALF with her own son Max. She has been confidently using ALF treatment with kids younger than 10 years old for the past 6 years. Dr. Yesin is certified ALF dentist, having completed Level 1 ALF residency. She is an active member and participant of ALF Interface Academy
Ozone in Dentistry
Ozone therapy is a great addition to the routine procedures in our office. When ozone is used in dental procedures it treats the cause of the problem which produces a proactive approach to treatment rather than solely engaging in the routine procedure of damage control. Other benefits include better blood flow, enhanced immune response, and a more rapid healing response. Ozone gas is used to reach and penetrate into dental tubules and periodontal pockets where no other antibiotic or disinfectant can reach.
Ozone is naturally occurring in a gaseous form. It is found everywhere in our everyday lives. Our bodies produce a small amount of it everyday to keep our bodies healthy.
It can be produced in the office using a special ozone generator utilizing medical oxygen. It can be applied in it’s gaseous form directly to teeth and gums. It can also be bubbled through water and infused into vegetable oils. The ozonated water is used at our office as an effective disinfectant mouth rinse. We also use the ozonated oils to apply during treatments and to give to our patients to use at home.
Ozone is a wonderful anti-microbial agent, meaning that it kills harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses on contact. It also stimulates our bodies to heal faster and with less pain.
In dentistry, ozone can be applied during cavity treatments to reduce the bacteria in the tooth that caused the cavity in the first place. Applying ozonated water or oil into gum pockets and inflamed areas of soft tissue helps to fight the bacteria or yeast that cause gum disease and abscesses. Flooding the sensitive area of the teeth can help to virtually eliminate the sensitivity. It can also be used to speed up healing times with cold sores, mouth ulcers, cuts, burns, surgery, or in conjunction with any other treatment that we perform.