Dr. McCarthy is completely dedicated to providing the highest quality holistic dental care and personal, one-on-one treatment that patients deserve. You can feel wholeheartedly confident when you rely on her as your dentist! She is especially good at caring for people who may struggle with anxiety or fear surrounding the dentists office. She and her team are well-known for being compassionate and providing straightforward, transparent answers to those in need. Interested in learning more about her? Continue reading below.

Dr. McCarthys family member was diagnosed with a fatal neurological disease and the doctors had no answers to why a previously healthy person would be afflicted with a disease with no origins and no cures. This family members diagnosis turned her world upside down and started her on a journey to uncover root causes for disease. Learning about how the health of the mouth is vital to the rest of the body is something that is fascinating to Dr. McCarthy and she enjoys discovering new and innovative treatments to help keep her patients as healthy as possible. Continuing education is something that Dr. McCarthy is very passionate about and she spends hundreds of hours every year to improve her knowledge, especially involving the study of biologic dentistry and natural ways to keep healthy without pharmaceuticals.

Dr. McCarthy completed both her undergraduate degree in physical anthropology and her doctorate in dentistry at SUNY Buffalo. She is a Board Certified N.M.D. by the American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board and The American Naturopathic Medical Association after receiving advanced training through the ACIMD. She is a holder of a Master Herbalist Diploma and working towards a diploma in Kinesiology and Iridology. She is also a Board Certified Dentist Anesthesiologist, a Vivos Airway Certified VIP Provider and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and a Diplomate of The National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. She maintains active memberships in the following organizations:

When she isnt busy practicing dentistry, Dr. McCarthys next biggest passion is dog rescue! She has fostered dozens of dogs who need a home after being rescued, and she even has two rescued standard poodles at home. She also really enjoys traveling extensively throughout the world and has completed many volunteer dental missions in other countries like Vietnam and Dominican Republic. Singing is a big hobby, too she knows the words to tons of songs and often sings along while working!

Dr. McCarthy and her Williamsville, NY team work hard to ensure our patients are comfortable from the moment they enter our office. We all take the time to answer questions and treat people with the honesty and respect they deserve. Another way we help patients relax is by offering an alternative anti-anxiety solution. Our office dogs who are trained to help anxious patients feel better. This means if you or a loved one suffer from dental phobia or anxiety, ask about how they can help. Luc and Fergie are poodles, and poodles are coated with hair! This means no shedding and they are hypoallergenic. Even people with allergies can feel at ease around them. They are happy to accept payment in the form of hugs! Luc and Fergie love helping patients get the dental care they need without any unnecessary fear or stress.

Both of these handsome standard poodle dogs belong to the Doctor and come to the office to provide calm and loving attention to our patient when asked. They are both rescues who came to live with Doctor from unfortunate circumstances. Now they are happy to come to work and meet any of the patients who want to get a comforting snuggle while they are at the dentist. Both boys really love everyone they meet and they have brought joy to so many people over the years. They are both poodles so they are naturally hypo allergenic so we encourage you to pet them to your heart's desire.

The team at Shannon H. McCarthy DDS believe in the importance of preventative care. We focus on keeping patients in good oral health so that they can live a full, healthy, and enjoyable life that is free from oral pain. This starts by educating our patients on what they can do to stay healthy at home. In our family dentist office we recommend that patients eat a healthy diet that consists of green leafy vegetables, lean protein, nuts, dairy products, and crunchy fruits and veggies. Eating these foods along with drinking water can help to keep teeth healthy and make them stronger. By simultaneously reducing sugar intake, patients can also reduce their risk of cavities.

It is also important to brush and floss throughout the day. Instead of waiting for bedtime to brush teeth, carry a small toothbrush and use it after meals and snacks. This makes it possible to remove sugar and bacteria from the teeth and gums before it has the opportunity to turn into acid that can attack the teeth. This preventative step can greatly reduce a persons' risk of getting a cavity or gum disease. We understand the importance of taking these steps at home and will spend the time necessary to educate and inform patients so that they can stay healthy overall. Education, after all, is essential for living a long and healthy life.

Understanding the importance of these regular dental exams, the staff at Shannon H. McCarthy DDS work to make each patient extremely comfortable. This includes being welcoming and kind while performing dental treatments in a way that is painless and relaxing. Patients visit our dentist office because they trust us to do just that take care of their teeth and gums, gently. The majority of our patients are local and come from the greater Williamsville area, we also see patients that are looking for gentle dental care.

Seniors, on the other hand, often struggle with gum disease and oral infections. As people age, their teeth can become weaker and infected more easily. Bone loss is incredibly common with seniors and by conducting regular dental exams, the team at Shannon H. McCarthy DDS can help seniors to have strong teeth and reduce the risk of them falling out. Since over seventy percent of U.S. adults suffer from tooth loss, preventative care is important.

A. Primary, or 'baby,' teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to come in.

A. First, rinse the irritated area with warm salt water and place a cold compress on the face if it is swollen. Give the child acetaminophen for any pain, rather than placing aspirin on the teeth or gums. Finally, see a dentist as soon as possible.

A. Sealants work by filling in the crevasses on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This shuts out food particles that could get caught in the teeth, causing cavities. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years.

A. Soft plastic mouthguards can be used to protect teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sport related injuries. A custom-fitted mouthguard will protect your teeth from injuries and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head.

A. There is very little risk in dental X-rays. Family dentists are especially careful to limit the amount of radiation to which you and your family are exposed. Lead aprons and high-speed film are used to ensure safety and minimize the amount of radiation. Digital x-rays provide an even greater level of protection by using up to 90 percent less radiation.

There are several examples of how Doctor McCarthy goes beyond the average general dental practice. She is dedicated to a mercury free/mercury safe office. She avoids the use of fluoride, uses digital x rays for less radiation exposure and even has a 3D CBCT X ray machine for more thorough diagnosis. Other special services include the use of ozone gas and using your own stem cells called PRP/PRF to regenerate tissue. The office is proud to use the CariVu and the diagnodent, a way of early cavity detection without any radiation at all. There are many differences between a biologic dentist and a general dental office because Doctor McCarthy firmly believes that keeping your mouth healthy using the least invasive, most modern equipment and materials will help keep your body healthy as well.

SMART mercury removal is available at Shannon H. McCarthy DDS in Williamsville and the surrounding area. While mercury amalgam fillings are a common form of filling among general dentists, the mercury is not healthy for the body and can cause issues over time. We can use SMART mercury removal to remove the mercury and replace it successfully. Doctor McCarthy has taken the training passed the certification to become an accredited dentist through the IAOMT.

Biologic dentistry is a manner of practicing dentistry that treats the person as a whole, because it sees the relationship the teeth have with the rest of the body. Many people find holistic/biologic dentists because they are looking for answers to long term health problems. Often these problems were thought to be unsolvable because no one thought to connect dental problems with the rest of the body. Once that connection can be made, answers often unfold. The body is complex and is a system of multiple moving parts, understanding this relationship between the mouth and the other systems can have a significant impact on overall health. Doctor McCarthy has spent countless hours of continuing education and study to understand this relationship in order to provide the patient conservative treatment using safer techniques in an effort to bring optimal wellness through oral health care. As a biologic dentist, Doctor McCarthy is always looking for the root cause of why something is going wrong.

Dr. McCarthy uses PRF (Platelet Rich Fibrin) when providing bone grafts for patients in need why? Because unlike more traditional techniques, this advanced material is created from the patients very own blood and natural tissue, making it 100% natural! During a simple chairside procedure, this new material is seamlessly installed as the perfect grafting matrix, creating dense and robust growth that can be wholeheartedly relied on.

Virtually everyone knows what a cavity is, but cavitation is a much less understood term in the dentists office. A cavitation is a hole in the patients jawbone that cannot be properly detected through visual inspection alone. These lesions are often found in old sites where natural teeth were extracted or underneath areas where root canals were previously performed. They can spread extensively over time and may even penetrate the sinuses without intervention. Thankfully, Dr. McCarthy uses CBCT technology to evaluate the presence of cavitation and can refer you to a skilled practitioner who can help manage this situation.

Your teeth communicate directly with your body in a variety of ways, and when root canal therapy fails or results in an infection, this communication becomes a serious concern. These types of infections have close access to blood circulation, and research has demonstrated that root canal failure may even contribute to the development of systemic disease. If Dr. McCarthy discovers troubling symptoms, she may recommend the safe removal of these teeth as soon as possible to preserve your overall quality of life.

We enjoy helping our patients fully understand their dental care and feel confident about their future with our practice. Thats why Dr. McCarthy and the rest of our team members regularly use intraoral cameras to capture highly detailed video images of patients mouths. Not only are these images useful in detecting potential oral health problems, but theyre also a valuable educational tool that helps our team point out areas of damage and more clearly explain potential treatments.

X-rays are extremely important for treating many common dental concerns after all, how else could we find problems beneath the surface of your smile? Our DEXIS digital X-ray system goes a big step beyond the traditional techniques, capturing high-resolution images that are instantly viewable with no need for tedious darkroom development. The amount of radiation patients have to be exposed to is also greatly reduced, making them safer for children and adults alike. In some instances, we can use technology like the CariVu and Diagnodent for cavity detecting with no radiation at all.

Sometimes, 2D digital X-rays just dont provide all the information we need about a patients oral structures. Thats where the revolutionary PreXion Cone Beam Scanner comes in, which rotates around the head and captures multiple images that are then constructed into a comprehensive 3D model. This helps Dr. McCarthy plan many advanced treatments with more accuracy, including dental implant placement, tooth extractions, evaluation of failing root canals, non healing areas in bone, sinus inflammation, airway evaluation and more.

Many patients surely remember the traditional method for taking impressions of their teeth uncomfortable, horrible-tasting goop that you were more than likely to gag on. At Dr. McCarthys practice, were happy to have left this outdated technique in the past and replaced it with a much simpler and more effective digital process. With E4D, taking impressions is as simple as scanning the tooth and capturing an image the whole process only takes minutes to complete! Plus, the chances of needing retakes is greatly reduced, saving valuable time.

When it comes to treating delicate gum tissue within the mouth, our teams goal is to create precise, effective results in the most comfortable way possible for our patients. Thats why we rely on our Ivoclar soft tissue laser instead of traditional tools for periodontal disease treatment. As the laser passes over the affected area, it removes targeted cell layers and bacteria with an exceptional amount of accuracy, all while keeping bleeding to a minimum and sterilizing the area for faster healing.

For some patients, their least favorite part of visiting the dentist is having to prepare for an uncomfortable injection. Thats why our Williamsville practice has replaced the traditional needle with something much better The Wand! The Wand doesnt look like a syringe at all, and its designed to administer the anesthetic at a constant, soothing rate that a patient wont even feel. Better yet, the application is much more precise, which means you wont have to struggle with any numbness beyond whats absolutely necessary.

Cavities put your teeth at risk, which is why our team strives to pinpoint their development at the earliest stages possible. DIAGNOdent technology can expose the presence of decay much more accurately than traditional X-rays it can even uncover spots of weakened enamel that are still undetectable to the human eye! This modern tool actually measures the amount of laser fluorescence within the tooth, creating a digital readout that clearly represents areas of concerns that may require treatment.

In addition to DIAGNOdent, Dr. McCarthy also regularly uses CariVu for locating tooth decay and dental cracks as well as soon as they develop. This state-of-the-art device utilizes transillumination technology to render your tooth enamel transparent; as a result, any problematic areas will appear darker in color, allowing for immediate identification by our team. We can even determine the extent of the damage and whether or not immediate treatment is required.

When it comes to cleaning plaque and tartar from the tooth surfaces, few instruments can match the overall power, accuracy, and overall speed of an ultrasonic scaler! In the experienced hands of our team members, these hi-tech instruments will disrupt even the toughest bacteria within your smile; they can even improve the brightness of enamel surfaces with moderate staining. This technology uses the power of electromagnetic forces and rapid vibration in a linear motion. In fact, there are anywhere from 25,000 to 45,000 vibrations a second.

Whenever possible, Dr. McCarthy enjoys helping her patients take advantage of their bodys natural ability to heal and repair through the use of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and PRF (Platelet Rich Fibrin) technology. The process is simple enough we take a small sample of blood and then spin it in our centrifuge, which is located right here in the office. This creates a fibrin network with trapped platelets that is placed over the area of the mouth in question, resulting in faster recovery and a lower risk of overall infection.

When planning to remove traditional amalgam fillings and replace them with biocompatible alternatives, the patients safety and health is always at the forefront of Dr. McCarthys mind. Thats why she uses the RITA meter! Mercury is the greatest concern when dealing with amalgam fillings, and this technology allows our team to verify the quantity of electrical current thats being released by each metal restoration. As a result, we can devise the ideal order through which the fillings should be removed (also known as sequential mercury removal) to minimize negative exposure.

Ozone is a powerful, naturally occurring agent that can kill potentially harmful bacteria and other foreign agents. Dr. McCarthy has found in much more effective in dental applications when compared to traditional antibiotics, which is why she utilizes it for non-surgical gum treatment, cavity treatment, and much more. Our Amherst practice has an ozone generator in every single treatment room, which means that were always ready to help our health-minded patients smile brighter.

With SMART mercury removal, we can help to replace mercury amalgam fillings that may have treated cavities in the past. The acronym stands for the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique. SMART mercury removal involves using techniques approved by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IOAMT) to remove and dispose of mercury fillings. Doctor McCarthy believes that practicing mercury free/ mercury safe filling placement is very important.

Dr. McCarthy has performed thousands of dental extractions and uses many advanced technologies to promote better healing outcomes. We use dental anesthetic without vasoconstrictors to promote healing blood flow to the area, ozone gas to destroy bacteria and pathogens, the patients own stem cells called PRF and PRP as well as taking the time to remove the periodontal ligament after the extraction with a piezoelectric handpiece. In certain situations, we may be able to use demineralized pieces of the patients own tooth to use as a bone replacement graft.