Dr. Gan: "Dental implant is an art and a craft... There are cases that are complex but all are manageable."

"I wish I were a Korean superstar so I won’t have to work hard here,” Dr. Steve Mark Gan humorously tells. If all dentists look good just like Dr. Gan, nobody would hesitate to visit a clinic and open that mouth real wide. When Dr. Gan or his team of dental specialists finishes, smiling and flashing those perfect white teeth would come easy and natural. 

Yet, many face a dilemma of going to a dentist.  One can endure a headache but not a toothache, and a visit to the dentist is inevitable. Fortunately, gone are the days when tooth extraction could be likened to torture, just like the way during medieval times and even a good ol’ time of watching 'Ripley’s Believe it or Not' would show how the procedures before were done.  In this modern age, when the science and technology of dentistry has developed, there is no reason for anybody not to have that perfect set of teeth and, this time, without the torture-like process. 

Yet, undergoing a tooth extraction can leave behind a wide gap.  For some, having gaps where a tooth was extracted is not a cause to worry, but it would be a different story if those extracted were the front teeth.   Indeed, smiling would be reduced to a smirk.

In a recent meeting with Dr. Gan, the brain behind Gan Advanced Osseointegration Center (GAOC), he reveals that many patients who visit the clinic are so frustrated with their condition and that they want to get back their life, he explains, their dilemma is usually caused by a missing tooth or imperfect teeth resulting in a loss of their self-esteem.  “If you have better teeth, you can eat better, look better, speak better.  Your self-confidence and quality of life are better.”

Furthermore, other procedures to fix or bridge missing teeth have advantages and disadvantages.  Like when a patient opts for a fixed bridge, Dr. Gan says that, “Nababawasan ang mga katabing ngipin,” and shows how the bridge (two or more crowns or artificial teeth) replaces missing teeth, however, the teeth beside the fixed bridge have to be reshaped for the bridge to fit. Aside from this, there are the usual hassles of using dentures. 

He explains that implants are closer to having natural teeth compared to dentures or bridges and that dental implants should be the first line of defense to get back a natural looking smile.  “Dental implant is basically a pure titanium screw that is imbedded into the jaw bone,” he says.  The screw holds and supports the crown (artificial tooth).

Dr. Gan stresses the importance of the waiting period—four months if procedure is on the lower jaw or six months if on the upper jaw.  Accordingly, this is to avoid rejection or failure of the implant.  During the waiting period, the process called osseointegration takes place.  That is, a direct functional connection between the living bone and the surface of the titanium happens and this process accounts for the success rate of implants.  After osseointegration, the gums will be opened, then the placement of the crown is done.  

Infusing a foreign object in the bone is not a cause for worry.  He explains that “titanium is bio-compatible with the bone, there shouldn’t be any problem.”  He explains that with current technology, implants are even stronger than real teeth since titanium is known to be one of the hardest substances in the world.  He shares that the longest lasting dental implant in history was with a Swedish man for 43 years.  “It’s just that he passed away so we have no record yet of implants lasting for longer than that, but most likely, implants can last for much longer,” he says smiling.  

However, in areas where an implant should be placed and the bone in either the upper or lower jaw has shrunk or if it is too thin or too short, then a ridge augmentation through bone grafting is usually performed first.  He explains that bone is grafted from the head, chin, jaw, rib or hip (the most advised bone to graft because the bone here is highly nutritious) into the jaw.

He explains the process as: Opening of the gums, placement of the bone graft, covering the gums with collagen membrane to prevent bone shrinkage, stitching the gums, and waiting for four to six months for the bone graft to fully infuse with the jaw bone.  However, if the thickness or condition of the jaw bone is just right, ridge augmentation will not be needed and an implant can be done right away. 

Dr. Gan and his team regularly attend international conferences and trainings in North America, Europe and all around Asia to further hone their craft and skills in dental procedures.  He says “We try to keep up with advanced technology and quality training the world has to offer.  We are perfectionists and we make sure that we give quality treatment.”  Thus, over the years, his team of experts has become very adept in the procedure of dental implants. 

“Dental implant is an art and a craft, the more implants you place, the more cases are opened up to you and more challenges.  I don’t see any case being difficult.  There are cases that are complex but all are manageable,” says Dr. Gan.  He stresses that expertise, advanced technology and quality service should be at the forefront of dental dentistry and it is what GAOC observes.

(For more information, visit www.gaocdental.com)