Dr. Fuentes has been fortunate to be able to participate in several community service projects and mission trips where he was able to utilize his dental and medical training. He has extensive training in anesthesia, dental implants, removal of wisdom teeth, corrective jaw surgery, oral pathology, and complex facial trauma. He strives to make your procedure as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
Dr. Fuentes was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After spending a portion of his training in West Texas, Dr. Fuentes and his lovely wife, Heather, have returned to live and raise their family in the area. He is excited and honored to provide quality surgical care to the Permian Basin community. Dr. Fuentes and Heather have four beautiful children: Matthew, Sofia, Mason, and Andrew. He thoroughly enjoys spending his free time in outdoor activities with his family, as well as traveling.
Dr. Erickson is dually trained in both dentistry and medicine. Originally from Arizona, he received his Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University graduating cum laude. Dr. Erickson then received his dental degree from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. His medical degree was obtained from the prestigious UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas.
Following medical school, he completed an internship in General Surgery. Dr. Erickson also received extensive training in anesthesiology through the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at UT Southwestern and Childrens Medical Center at Dallas. Dr. Erickson completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery training at UT Southwestern/Parkland Memorial Hospital internationally known as one of the premier training programs in the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
With extensive training in dentistry, medicine, anesthesiology, and surgery, Dr. Erickson is uniquely qualified to treat a broad spectrum of oral and maxillofacial surgical issues for pediatric, adolescent, adult, and senior patients alike.
Dental implants are one of the best options for tooth replacement. Dental implants are individual dental prostheses which take the place of a single missing tooth. If you have lost a tooth or have multiple missing teeth, dental implants will offer the most natural-looking results to restore your smile. The dental implant is comprised of three parts the implant, the abutment, and the crown which fit together to provide a restorative solution that is incredibly similar to a natural, healthy tooth.
Choosing to replace a missing tooth or numerous missing teeth with dental implants is your best option for the long-term restoration of your teeth. Dental implants provide the closest possible function and aesthetics of your natural teeth. Implants provide several benefits that cannot be achieved by choosing a removable or temporary prosthesis, including:
Maintaining the health of neighboring teeth. Some other prosthetic methods require your dentist to grind down healthy teeth to cement a fixed bridge or rely on surrounding healthy teeth to support the weight of a partial. Choosing dental implants resolves both of these problems by replacing the problem areas and allowing your remaining dental structure to remain natural.
Preserving bone. The dental implant replaces the tooth root. It transmits chewing forces to the jaw, helping maintain the bone. Bridges, partial dentures, and areas without any tooth replacement will undergo a significant loss of bone structure.
Feeling and functioning like natural, healthy teeth. Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option for restoring the overall look of a healthy tooth to improve your smile. Dental implants feel and function like natural, healthy teeth. Most patients comment on the incredible similarities between the prosthesis and their natural teeth. Some even say that it would be difficult to determine which teeth are prosthetic and which teeth are natural if they did not already know which teeth were replaced.
Restoring normal day-to-day activities. Unlike removable prosthetic options, dental implants are integrated into your jaw bone. This direct implant and restoration makes it easier to speak, sing, eat, brush, clean your mouth, and of course, smile with confidence. Maintenance of your dental implants is no different than your healthy teeth so you can resume brushing and flossing regularly without making any special adjustments.
Preserving your smile. In addition to all of the functional benefits, dental implants are very strong and remain in place. Unlike removable dentures or tooth-supported replacement options that may fall out or loosen over time, a dental implant will maintain your smile. You can smile knowing your implants look just like your natural, healthy teeth.
Offering a long-term solution. With proper maintenance, a dental implant may last many years without needing to be replaced. Unfortunately, other prosthetic options, like dental bridges, typically have a significantly shorter lifespan.
In most cases, there are two procedures that are performed in order to properly place a dental implant. During the first procedure, the dental implant, which is a medical-grade titanium screw, is placed into the jaw bone. After this first procedure is complete, patients will undergo a period of healing while the implant naturally integrates with the bone. This bonding creates a solid anchor to support the abutment and crown. Once the implant has fully integrated with the jaw, the abutment (a small metal post) is placed into the center of the implant and the custom-designed crown is secured on top.