Holistic Dentistry - Biological Dentist - Sedation Dentistry - Mercury Safe - Greer - Greenville - Spartanburg SC
home
Holistic Dentistry
Services We Offer
Before & After Photos
Our Mission & Philosophy
Meet our Staff
Patient Testimonials
Patient Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Directions & Map
Contact Us
John J. Palmer, DMD
Palmer Distinctive Dentistry
301 The Parkway, Suite B
Greer, SC 29650

864.879.6494
New!
Smile Back with Smile Bucks
Program
 Services We Offer

Please take a moment to review the services we offer. 
We take pride in the high quality of care we insist upon for every patient.

 TMJ Therapy
  • Sedation
    Dentistry
  • One-Visit
    Crowns
  • Metal-Free
    Implants
  • Laser-Assisted
    Periodontal Therapy
  • Ozone
    Therapy
  • Cone Beam
    3D Scan
  • Invisalign
     
  • Deep
    Bleaching
Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry lets you totally relax during your visit and have your dental treatment completely comfortable.

Sweaty palms?   High anxiety?   Deathly afraid to go to the dentist?

You are not alone. Millions of people share your fear and apprehension.

We understand how you feel. We want to reassure you that you can have the care you need, comfortably, in fewer appointments.

You can overcome your fears
and enjoy good dental health.

Satisfied patients say,
"It changed my life!"
So will you.

NOW IN FEWER RELAXED APPOINTMENTS, YOU CAN SMILE AGAIN!

How long have you been hiding your smile behind your hand…or putting up with pain?
Don't let fear take away the benefits of good health and beautiful smile.

New and safe oral sedation techniques mean you can have years of dental treatment done quickly. You'll be amazed how totally relaxed you feel. Because you are completely comfortable, we are able to provide you with more care in a shorter period of time. Instead of having work don in six to ten separate appointments over several months, you may need only a couple appointments. You'll feel like you slept through your treatment and have little or no memory of the hours spent in the dental chair.

Imagine being able to smile with confidence and chew your food with out pain. Thanks to sedation dentistry, you can go forward with treatment to:

    • Whiten yellow or stained teeth
    • Replace crowns or dentures
    • Fix chipped or damaged teeth
    • Restore sore and infected gums to good health

It's time to put you anxiety to rest. Give yourself or a member of your family the gift of good dental health. Experience sedation dentistry once, and you'll never be afraid to go to the dentist ever again!

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SEDATION DENTISTRY
Q. Will I be totally relaxed?

A. You'll receive just enough sedation so that you'll be completely unaware of the treatment, as if you were asleep.
 
Q. Will I remember anything?

A. At the end of treatment you will have little or no memory of what has been accomplished.
 
Q. Will I feel any pain?

A. Most patients feel no discomfort whatsoever during treatment and surprisingly good afterwards.
 
Q. Will I be groggy when my appointment is complete?

A. You will feel fine. For your safety, we do require that you have a family member or friend drive you home.
 
Q. How many appointments will I need?

A. Many people have all their needs met in just a couple appointments. With sedation dentistry, we complete most of your dental care at one time. Years of neglect can be reversed in a few hours.
 
Q. Is sedation dentistry safe for me?

A. Oral sedation dentistry protocols have been used safely for over 30 years in millions of dental procedures. Before starting any treatments, we review your medical history and we monitor you very closely while you're under sedation.
 
Q. What procedures can you do under sedation dentistry?

A. We can clean your teeth, do crowns, dentures, replace missing teeth, root canals, gum surgery- we can do it all, usually in only a couple of appointments.
 
Q. Can we talk about it before I go ahead with treatment?

A. During your first appointment, we listen to you! We discuss treatment with you, because we want you to feel completely comfortable about going forward with the care you need.
 
 
CEREC (One-Visit Crowns)
A very convenient procedure that Distinctive Dentistry offers our patients is the CEREC technology, which is the One-Visit Crowns. Our current patients love the convenience and beauty of the One-Visit Crowns. No impressions, no temporaries, and it's metal free! Dr. John Palmer will take out any old black-silver/mercury filling, decay or broken parts of the tooth.

Because of this new technology, we are able to preserve more good tooth structure. Instead of grinding the tooth down as with conventional caps, we save as much of the natural tooth structure as possible. An amazing digitized image is then taken and Dr. Palmer will design, precision mill the new tooth replacement and bond the tooth replacement to the solid tooth structure.

The CEREC technology matches your own teeth so well, the only way you will know you had work done is by the beautiful new restoration that replace your black, discolored silver/mercury filling(s).

An added benefit of this tooth rebuilding technology is its use as an alternative to the silver/mercury filling of old. Many of our patients have concerns about the mercury used in the tradition silver/mercury fillings. We are able to offer stronger, tooth reinforcing materials that actually bond to the tooth unlike the silver/mercury fillings.

Call us today to learn how the latest in today's dentistry can help you keep your teeth strong, healthy and attractive for the rest of your life.

A brilliant smile needs not only white teeth but also attractive, healthy and pink-coloured gums, filling the missing spaces optimally.  The implants made from the high-performance TZP-A BIO-HIP zirconium oxide ceramic are extremely similar to the condition of real teeth and tooth roots, they are excellently biologically compatible and are tolerated ver well by the gums.  Careful development, high quality throughout and many years experience stand behind this certified and approved implant system.  With all the advantages it offers:

  • Free of metals and good biocompatibility
  • Naturally white and aesthetic
  • Very good gum regeneration

Click here to download the brochure

Did you know that medical researchers have found links between periodontal disease and medical conditions such as

  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke, diabetes
  • Respiratory infections, and most recently
  • Alzheimer's?

Taking care of your mouth is no longer just about saving your teeth. It could add years to your life and greatly improve the quality of those years.

It is estimated that about 80% of adults have some degree of gum disease.

Until now, periodontal treatment has been a more of a maintenance procedure instead of a cure. Often our best efforts would be considered successful if the disease could be stalled and the pockets weren't getting any deeper. If surgery was required it could be a very painful recovery, leaving gums receded and root surfaces of teeth exposed and sensitive.

Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy

We are happy to offer our patients the advantages of Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy.As we age, our gums are more susceptible to gingivitis and other periodontal problems.  Adding laser therapy to deep cleaning procedures offer faster,easier removal of damaged tissue with less traumatic postoperative pain and discomfort than conventional therapyPeriodontal Laser

How does it work?

Tartar, associated with inflammation and bleeding gums, is removed from the root surface of the tooth using an ultrasonic scaler and small instruments. Then, a small amount of light energy from a laser is directed through a tiny fiber, which is gently placed between the gum and tooth. This light energy aids in reducing the bacteria associated with the disease. After the area is thoroughly cleaned, the body can heal the area naturally.
Does it hurt?
Although the procedure itself can be virtually painless, we may anesthetize the area for your comfort.
Post-procedure discomfort is typically less intense and of shorter duration than conventional periodontal surgery.
How long does it take?
Your initial treatment will focus on scaling and removal of tartar. Then, the laser portion of the treatment will be performed. Depending on the severity of your periodontal disease, your treatment may be accomplished in one office visit or in multiple visits. Your estimated treatment time will be reviewed with you when we discuss your treatment plan.

Many of you probably feel invigorated after a thunderstorm or during a stroll along the beach. If so, ozone may be at least partly responsible for your feelings of youthful energy. Ozone (O3) is an energized form of oxygen. It is that clean, fresh smell you notice during a thunderstorm and it has been known as a powerful medicine for more than 100 years. In many ways, ozone is a perfect medicine . . . it completely destroys bacteria, mold, yeast and viruses while simultaneously stimulating the immune system.

Ozone allows us to treat many dental conditions in a very conservative manner. We are currently using ozone therapy in the following ways:

 
  • Gum Disease / Infections:   Because gum disease is an infection and ozone can eliminate infection, irrigating periodontal pockets with O3 water and O3 gas is highly beneficial. Used in this manner, O3 not only helps arrest the progression of the disease but also helps prevent tooth decay on exposed root surfaces. For some patients a custom tray that fits snugly over the teeth and gums can be made. O3 gas is then passed into the tray for a period of time every few months to help maintain periodontal health and prevent decay.
  • Teeth:  Ozone is mainly used in dentistry for the prevention and reversal of cavities.  Certain types of cavities can be reversed by exposing them to ozone gas . . . eliminating the need for a filling.  Washing teeth with ozonated water, just prior to restoring them, is an excellent way to sterilize the tooth and prevent sensitivity.   Ozone is extremely beneficial when the tooth nerve has been damaged by decay.  Using O3 water followed by O3 gas will often prevent the nerve from dying, thus preventing the need for a root canal or extraction. 

  • Dental Surgery:  Irrigation of a surgical site with O3 water will dramatically speed healing and reduce the possibility of infection. 

  • Cavitations:  Several conditions can cause localized areas of the jaw bone to die.  These conditions include improper tooth extraction, trauma, poor circulation, clotting disorders and the use of steroids.  These areas of dead bone are known as cavitations and are breeding grounds for bacteria and their toxins.  Cavitations can affect overall health in a number of ways:  research shows the bacterial waste products found in cavitations are extremely potent . . . cavitations can also block the body's energy meridians.  Ozone is one of the most effective methods of treating cavitations . . . it kills the bacteria and stimulates the body’s self-healing mechanism.

  • Cold Sores and Canker Sores:  When exposed to ozone gas, cold sores and canker sores heal rapidly.  We have also discovered that when treated with ozone the sores may not ever return to the same place again.


Cone Beam 3D Scan3D ConeBeam Imaging is a remarkable new technology that creates virtually limitless views of the face, neck and teeth, for more complete treatment planning.

It’s called 3D ConeBeam Imaging. It’s fast, simple and completely painless – patients just sit in a chair for a single 10-second scan. And, from that scan, the specialist can quickly see computer-generated views of the bones of the face, the teeth, and other details from any angle, in 3D and in color!

It's important for your dentist to have accurate and complete information to plan your treatment. 3D ConeBeam Imaging provides that information, with a host of advantages for you and your dentist.

The 3D scan is very effective in helping Dr. Palmer see more pathology than ever before! The scan is very helpful in determining placement of implants and when bone graphs may be necessary

c

Invisalign invisibly straightens your teeth with a series of custom-molded aligners

Forget everything you’ve heard about teeth straightening. Because now there’s breakthrough technology that lets you get the smile you always wanted without bands, brackets, or wires.
a
A clear alternative
By using a series of clear removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth right before your eyes. Change them about every two weeks, and your teeth will move—little by little, week by week—until they have moved to the final position your orthodontist or dentist has prescribed. Comfortable to wear, our aligners are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.

Less treatment time
A typical Invisalign case takes about a year from start to finish. You’ll see your doctor every month or two to see how you’re progressing. Every few visits, you’ll be given additional aligners to continue your treatment. Commonly, the number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but treatment time and the number of aligners will vary from case to case.

Invisible. And comfortable
Invisalign is a virtually invisible solution. So you won’t draw undue attention to your mouth while in treatment. In fact, virtually no one will know you’re wearing them unless you tell. Comfortable to wear, our aligners are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.

Is Invisalign for me?
Invisalign can be used to treat the vast majority of common problems for adults and teens. Whether your smile needs minor improvements or more extensive adjustments, Invisalign can certainly help. It's successful in treating overly crowded or widely spaced teeth. It can also relieve more complex issues, including overbites, underbites and even crossbites. In fact, an Invisalign Certified Orthodontist or Dentist can use Invisalign clear aligners in all or part of just about any treatment plan.

Look your best during treatment
Invisalign is clear and practically invisible, so nothing gets in the way of your new smile. No wonder Invisalign is the choice of over half a million people.

* Unobtrusive in business meetings or social gatherings
* No metal wires or bands to irritate your mouth
* Most people won’t notice you’re wearing aligners


Love your smile! Contact us today about the KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™ System.

KöR Whitening ranks highest as the most effective, reliable way to whiten your teeth, permanently.

  • Get the best shade of white that’s right for you!
  • Effective even on tetracycline-stained (dark) teeth
  • Low to no sensitivity
  • Comfortable, easy process
  • Results that exceed expectations
  • No need to give up coffee, tea, or red wine

Developed by internationally renowned cosmetic dentist and bleaching expert Dr. Rod Kurthy, the KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™ System is used by thousands of dentists worldwide. It is considered to be the most reliable and effective bleaching system ever developed. So, if you’re too embarrassed to smile, have dark-stained teeth, or just simply want a whiter smile, the superiority of KöR Whitening is just what you need.

 
 

TMJ TherapyWe have started a new program for TMJ, Bite Therapy, it is called The Perfect Bite Doctor.  This therapy is based on  a Digital Bite Analysis (T-scan), and a bite questionaire we go over with the patient.  

This therapy includes:

  • A bite appliance that is worn at night and during headaches

  • Ultrasound Therapy (which increases blood circulation)

  • Massage Therapy, where the TMJ muscles, neck and shoulders are really relaxed.  

  • Alpha-stim Therapy (like accupunture, but without the needles) - this treatment breaks up any trigger points that are found during the massage therapy.

  • Cold Laser - which helps with inflammation and increases healing time by 35 - is the last of the therapy performed at each visit.

  • Our goal is for the patient to be headache and pain free!