PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Dr. Guillermo Contreras is well-known in Guatemala as the prosthodontist who successfully treats the most complex dental restorations that may be beyond the skills of most normal dentists. He is highly experienced in restoring and replacing teeth after a traumatic injury, as well as creating new smiles for children born with genetic facial deficits. He is an expert at correcting delicate and complicated dental abnormalities from a medical and artistic point of view, achieving excellent functional and aesthetic results, at Dental Design since 2003.
As a member of the Academy of Osseointegration and a highly experienced implantologist and oral surgeon with over 10,000 successful dental implants and restorations placed, Dr Contreras has the skills and experience needed to assure complete oral health, and to restore smiles to the best they can be – beautiful and comfortable.
At your first visit to Dental Design, you’ll get a digital panoramic x-ray that is shared with you in high resolution within minutes. That way, the doctor can get a clear view of dental imperfections and use them as a tool to illustrate for the patient and then to determine the most effective treatment plan.
When general surgeons require a dental exam to rule out any possibility of oral infection or disease prior to surgery, they call on Dr. Contreras to perform the oral investigation, as he is professionally certified and experienced in this field. His findings and reports will support the surgeons’ decisions, to assure the best possible outcome for a successful procedure.
With the high-tech capabilities at the Dental Design clinic, Dr. Contreras can digitally scan impressions of your mouth to send to the printer within seconds, or he can perform a molar extraction with immediate replacement on the same day. Zirconia crowns constructed with laser precision are ready right there in the clinic in 30 minutes.
Dental implants are used to replace a missing root, filling the space of a lost or extracted tooth. Normally, the implant surgery is phase one, then the patient returns for the crown after the biocompatible implant has osseointegrated with natural bone. For the benefit of international patients with limited time in Guatemala, Dr. Contreras can perform the first three procedures of an implant all at one time, with no healing time in between.
A permanent bridge can appear the same as natural teeth or implants, with individual crowns made of zirconia, but it needs to be attached to a tooth with solid roots, or an implant at either end. Veneers are a thin sheet of white porcelain that covers natural teeth offering a long-term solution to whitening discolored teeth.
Dr. Contreras says, “We can treat any sort of dental problem with function or aesthetics, so I suppose my most desired patient is one who appreciates the highest level of quality and trust that they will get a reasonable price.” The doctor sees many patients who have had bad results with other dentists, so he knows that choosing the best quality the first time is the most reliable way to save time and money.
“We have worked together with Guatemala Medical Travel for over 10 years because they have an excellent team to uphold our quality standards, overseeing both preparation and recovery for international patients, so we feel comfortable working together.”
When patients are facing some major dental work, Dr. Contreras eases their anxiety by carefully explaining every facet of the treatment and recovery, then showing examples of the final goal – a healthy and gorgeous smile for the long term. He says, “Don’t you worry. Your only job is to relax and recover. I’ll take care of everything else.”
CHARITY WORK
Most visitors to the lovely village of San Juan la Laguna at Lake Atitlan see hard-working farmers, organized shopkeepers, and talented artists. However, Dr. Contreras sees groups of young and old people in need of extensive dental care that would not otherwise be available to them due to the cost and distance.
Together with “Dentists with Hearts”, a medical group from Vancouver, Canada, Dr. Contreras was instrumental in creating the San Juan Dental Clinic. International donations provided money to build the clinic, and to hire dental students from San Carlos University to supervise the daily operations.
Dr. Contreras and other dental specialists volunteer their time every year to provide necessary dental care to Guatemalans in need. As a result, every resident of the village of San Juan is grateful for their continued oral health with the best dental specialists. It certainly shows in their smiles!