GAP Australasian Dentist Mar Apr 2020

Category 92 Austr`l`si`n Dentist F rom addressing headaches and migraines to `MJ pain to obstructive sleep apnoea, the dentist developed his own methodology and Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) to treat a multitude of health problems – some of which are cases that he says have commonly been misdiagnosed or areas where dentists have trouble understanding the full extent of. He is founder and principal dentist of Wholistic Dentistry, a Queanbeyan practice where the philosophy is predicated on the view that, “`he current perception of the dental field, viewed both by medical physicians and the broader community, is narrow and does not reflect the true capacity that dentistry can offer patients.” Dr Da Cruz believes that dentists have much to offer in the diagnosis and treatment of fundamental structural issues in the human body that affect the nervous system and the rest of the body. He is currently involved in non-invasive dental treatment, focusing on interrelated conditions of malocclusion, `MD and sleep disordered breathing using functional appliance therapy. His work is facilitated through use of the splint, orthopaedic, myofunctional dental appliance (`OMA). Based on occusion signalling as well as growth and development patterns, the appliance was created to correct issues pertaining to translation of the lower jaw. Central to the clinician’s treatment philosophy is the need to calm the nervous system and relax muscles. `OMA as well as the integrated, single-phase treatment approach – developed in collaboration with Dr John Diamond – is unique to Dr Da Cruz’s work. As someone who frequently operates outside the purview of general dentistry, the holistic dentist adopts cutting edge technology to help stay ahead of the curve. `he tech savvy dentist owns a fully equipped in-house lab powered by `irona Cerec McX5, in addition to the KaVo Key `aser 3, `eiler `evelation Dental Microscope, My`ay cone-beam flatbed unit and `CA` cone-bean x-ray that he has been using for over 13 years. `he latest addition to his diagnostic toolbox is the Green 21, Vatech’s top-end cone-beam innovation that he purchased in 2018. Dr Da Cruz says the unit’s top- notch image clarity and large FOV makes it one of few CBC`s out there that can rise to his exacting diagnostic demands. “You need a large FOV that allows you to see more of the neck, which is important in my field. `he issue is not necessary the airway or sleep apnoea but it could be a neck issue, `MJ or a big tongue so it helps to see all of it in crisp detail.” `he Green 21 offers a wide range of selectable FOV that helps to limit patient radiation exposure, and allows users to capture only the region of interest. `sers can select between 21x19, 17x15, 17x11, 12x9, and 8x8 fields of view. `he large 21x19 FOV is designed for complete diagnostic imaging, covering the airway as well as regions. For his type of work, Dr Da Cruz says the image quality of a cone-beam machine is non-negotiable. One of the reasons he picked the Vatech x-ray unit has to do with the Korean company’s superior optical sensors, which is constructed from in-house components – all the way from CMO` design to viewer software. `he Green 21 utilizes a proprietary 49.5 um high-resolution x-ray sensor, which makes it one of the finest pixel and highest resolution CBC`s available on the market today. Dr Da Cruz relates how in just one year of using the Green 21, the machine already helped with the early detection of a patient’s tumour. “From the clear image, ` could detect that she had bone loss which led to further investigation and discovering the tumour.” “`t’s so gratifying to know that you’ve made a difference to someone’s life, especially in this case because she went on to have twins,” he beams, “plus this was a peculiar jaw problem with potential for misdiagnosis.” Holistic visualisation in one system `estimonials Passionate about identifying and treating the root causes of dental problems that often extend beyond the oral cavity, Dr Joseph Da Cruz has the ideal cone-beam unit for the job. By Danny Chan