Ozone Information For Clinicians

New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 3.

© Dr Julian Holmes
2011


Ozone Information
New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 1.
New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 2.
New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 3.
  • Introduction.
  • Technology Presentation.
  • Costing Ozone Dental Care.
  • Research and Support.
  • Disclaimer.
  • Ozone Technology Potential.
    Book Index.

    • New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 3.

    New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 3.

    Author; Dr Julian Holmes, 2006. 1st Published; "Dentistry" 20th June 2002.

    In this third and final article of three, Dr Julian Holmes explores arguably the most important advance in dental infection control or caries management since the development of filling materials. Dr Julian Holmes explains how dental ozone is used and what lessons are to be learnt about this new technology. New technologies can have the most profound effect, and not only on the public's desire for treatment. The articles have been updated and expanded from their original text. The pdf files are the original published articles.

    Introduction

    In the first article New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 1, I reviewed the current methods dental practitioners use to detect decay and briefly mentioned the DIAGNOdent from KaVo. The ‘niche environment’ theory of caries formation was introduced, and how ozone may have a part in the modern management and treatment of decay.

    In the second article New Technologies For Dental Care - Part 2, I introduced the reader to the concept of ozone treatment to eliminate pathogenic micro-flora in the oral environment, and in areas of infection. I reviewed the concept of the niche environment and how caries begins.

    This last article will look at how this technology can be sucessfully introduced into any dental practice and to naturally suspicious patients (!).

    Top

    Technology Presentation.

    One question that all of our patients ask, once we have identified and measured an area of decay, is ‘when do I get a filling?’. When ozone technologies are used to treat areas of decay in tooth structure - "caries" to the dental practitioner, "decay" to the public - I believe that it is not necessary to fill teeth unless there is a requirement to replace lost function or support. This conceptual barrier needs to be overcome by dentists attending presentations on ozone technologies; this concept is also very difficult for patients to understand. The common belief is still that decay found equals filling required. As a dental practitioner myself, we are conditioned from the start of our clinical training that any of decay must be treated by amputation and then restored. And we have reiterated this concept every day that we practice - until we read an article or attend a presentation that is, literally, a revolution in dental practice.

    ...fillings in the traditional sense are not necesssary any longer. This concept is difficult for dentists and patients to understand. The common belief is and practitioners are conditioned that any decay must be amputated.

    Once we begin to explain why a traditional approach and filling is no longer required, peoples first reaction is to ask why do not all dental practices have this technology. That is probably one of the most difficult questions to answer truthfully! There is no reason why every practitioner should not be aware of the new technologies; neither why all patients should not be potential candidates for ozone therapy.

    So how do we present ozone technologies to the general public - the dental profession's patients? We have produced an information brochure ( Figure 1) that outlines the system, the benefits and the costs compared with a standard single surface filling. This brochure answers many of the main questions raised by our patients in simple terms, such as:

  • 1. What is ozone? Ozone is a special gas that our dental ozone unit makes to kill the bacteria that are causing decay in your teeth.
  • 2. What can ozone do for me? Ozone can stop the decay process in a simple, quick and painless process. It takes from just 40 seconds.
  • 3. How do I know it has worked? In three months time, we will ask you to return to evaluate your teeth. In most cases, the decay will have halted or reversed
  • 4. Will I feel anything? No! The process is quick and simple, and you will not feel anything.
  • 5. What are my alternatives to ozone? We can place a traditional filling by amputating part of your tooth, placing a filling that will probably fail at some time in the future. You will enter into a cycle of destruction that will probably result is the eventual loss of your tooth.
  • 6. How much is ozone treatment going to cost? Ozone treatment is less costly than placing a traditional filling. A routine single surface filling costs £98.00. Your proposed ozone treatment is just £68.00 per tooth, with a maximum fee of £275.00 for this treatment. These fees include a special oral hygiene kit for use at home.

    These costs were correct for 2003 for a private -based practice in the UK. Some practices charged from £15 - £20 UK Pounds for every ozone treatment, and then charged an additional fee for the filling material used. One government-funded/socialised care practice in Ireland charged £5.00 for every ozone treatment, on the basis that it would save the practice larger sums, in terms of reduced time, reduced re-current decay and fillings, and post-operative pain appointments. For a guide to fees charged by users in your area, please contact your local O3 Dealer or Dr Julian Holmes

    We promoted ozone treatment to our patients because :

  • It allows natural remineralisation of decayed tooth tissue without the need for, in most cases, an injection, drilling or filling
  • This quick, non-invasive, instant bacterial elimination is painless and so less traumatic for the patient.

    One additional question my team was asked by a caller to the practice was: ‘How were we taking ozone out of the sky to treat teeth, and was there less now to protect him?’. This question reflects how much education we as a profession will be involved in when we take up this new technology. The uptake of this treatment has exceeded all expectations and this has been reflected by every dental practice across the world that has invested in this technology. Our information leaflet has been based on those questions asked by our patients and the dental team. As modern technology allows all brochures to be produced in-house, they can evolve as necessary. By pricing the treatment below the cost of a traditional filling, there is a positive pressure on the patient to take up this treatment modality. And lastly, as one of the first dental practices to offer this technology, we had a positive marketing tool to use in attracting new patients.

    When we started to audit where and how patients found our dental practice, the www accounted for over 85% of all new patients, and articles posted on our www site 'pulled' the patient in. The www remains a very cheap but powerful marketing tool. The information that you have in your practice should be reflective of your practice - not anyone else's! It may seem a simple point, but if you cannot delivery what you have printed, then you will loose your patients just as fast as they found you. Keep your message short and simple. If you cannot copy write, then approach your patients - you do of course make a note of what jobs they do, don't you? Failing your own client base, then look outside into the commercial world.

    Top

    Costing Ozone Dental Care

    The costs of this technology versus the costs of traditional fillings, and the potential returns on investment in the HealOzone unit. We currently charge £98 for a single surface average sized composite filling that takes, on average, 20 to 30 minutes to complete and costs us approximately £54 to perform. This equates to £108 per hour profit to the practice. In contrast, when we did the same calculations using the dental ozone unit, the results were very different. We looked at both the treatment of a single tooth and a full mouth treatment. The full mouth treatment comprises teeth (one or more) in all four quadrants.

    The costs were correct for 2003 for a private -based practice in the UK. Some practices charged from £15 - £20 UK Pounds for every ozone treatment, and then charged an additional fee for the filling material used. One government-funded/socialised care practice in Ireland charged £5.00 for every ozone treatment, on the basis that it would save the practice larger sums, in terms of reduced time, reduced re-current decay and fillings, and post-operative pain appointments. For upto date fees, please contact your local O3 Dealer or Dr Julian Holmes.

    Top

    Research and Support

    One aspect of buying into a new technology is always whether there is adequate support for it, service backup, product information and clinical technique clarification if required.

    For Ozi-cure current costs, delivery, service, parts and general information from O3, please contact the CEO, Colin Davidson. The Clinical Protocols are avaiable from O3 & Dr Julian Holmes, the Clinical Director of O3 & author of the clinical guide and protocols. (Service and parts backup for the KaVo HealOzone unit is available from KaVo GmbH.)

    The www still remains the best source of information, with a user-group and information being avaialble through www.the-o-zone.cc or www.rainbow-smiles.co.za. The user group is international and has some 1000 dentists, doctors and vets around the world who pool their information and experiences. The www site is closed to the general public, as it is intended as a forum for clinical practitioners to talk freely about ozone treatment.

    As the number of practices buying into this technology has increased, many of the of requently asked questions covering all areas of the use and promotion of this product have been collated into a readily accessible database for general release to users. This FAQ Sheet is included in this publication.

    ...every practitioner has a stricy duty of care and should rethink their management caries in the light of the current published research

    Over these three articles, I have tried to show how dental care is changing. There is a real need for practitioners to change their practice of dental care. As ozone technology becomes a topic of interest in the national and international media, patients will start to ask their dentist about this technology and may demand it. The scientific research shows that the technology is effective and that the mindset of ‘amputation of tooth tissue’ has to change.

    Every practitioner has a stricy duty of care and should therefore rethink their detection and management of decay in the light of the current published research.

    Top

    Disclaimer

    The scientific presentations here and on www.the-o-zone.cc are based on the published papers from the researchers. The data, conclusions and opinions drawn in these presentations are those of the research group concerned. If you are in any doubt as to the validity of the presented data, then reference should be made to the original paper and the authors at the address shown. Dr Holmes accepts no responsibility for any errors contained in these papers.

    Please note that the data from current re s e a rch studies may not support the possible future uses of ozone in the dental management and treatment of patients. The views, and conjecture in this article are the opinion of Dr Julian Holmes.

    Top

    Ozone Technology Potential.

    In the future, this technology may have other indications, including the decontamination of dental unit water lines that are especially vulnerable to bacterial contamination and colony growth due to the static layer of water at the inner tube surface or surface bacterial growth known as a "biofilm".
    Other uses may be for the treatment of periodontal disease and the re-washing of surgical sites prior to, for example, implant placement. A number of studies are currently being undertaken, including those by Dr Hubert Chang in London on the cleaning of root canals utilising ozone in endodontic treatment and a study looking at its use as a tooth whitening system. New studies in Europe are beginning to look at periodontal treatment with ozone, and in Egypt looking at a try application for prevention.

    Part 1 & Part 2 of this series of articles examines at the use of ozone in the dental practice in more detail.

    1st Published; "Dentistry" 20th June 2002

    Top

    January 2011
    The-O-Zone © Dr Julian Holmes