Dr. Gaitan was born in Guatemala, Central America. He received his D.D.S degree in 1994 and completed a GPR Certificate in 1996, both at Francisco Marroquin University of Guatemala. In 1999, after completing a 3-year residency at Baylor College of Dentistry, he was awarded a Certificate in Endodontics and a Master of Science Degree. From 1999 to 2001, he was part time Faculty in the Undergraduate Endodontics Clinic at Baylor College of Dentistry and has been in private practice in the Dallas and Houston areas since 1999. He is a member of the American Association of Endodontists, the Texas Dental Association, the Greater Houston Dental Society and the American Dental Association. Dr. Gaitan's practice is focused exclusively on root canal treatment, retreatment and endodontic surgery.
Dr. Gaitan's wife, Lyuba, also from Guatemala, is an Architect with an M.S. in 3D Animation who likes to compete in triathlons and adventure racing. They are the proud parents of two daughters and one son. In their free time, the family enjoys outdoor activities such as jogging, cycling, swimming and scuba diving. They also enjoy traveling and experiencing other cultures.
Lake Houston Endodontic (serving Humble and Atascocita, TX) provides high quality personalized endodontic therapy to all of our patients. We pride ourselves in offering a variety of services and using cutting-edge equipment and techniques.
We use state-of-the-art technologies in all of our procedures in order to provide our patients the best care possible. These new technologies allow us to diagnose and treat all endodontic conditions affecting the oral cavity.
Our premium dental software system maximizes your time and our office efficiency. When you visit our office, you can be confident you are receiving the finest and most advanced dental care available. Click for information about Endodontics
Inhaled Dental Sedation: With inhaled sedation, our patient breathes nitrous oxide, also known as 'laughing gas', combined with oxygen through a mask placed over their nose. The gas helps you relax while being awake and tends to wear off quickly. With this form of sedation, most patients are able to drive themselves after the procedure.
Oral Sedation: With oral sedation, our patient takes a pill at a predetermined time prior to procedure. Typically, the pill is Halcion or Valium, both members of the same drug family. The pill will make you drowsy and sleepy but still responsive if needed. Patients with this type of sedation will need adult supervision for 24 hours starting at the time they take the pill. Patients should not attempt to drive or operate machinery during that time frame.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation: With IV sedation, our patient receives the sedative drug through a vein. This type of sedation is used for cases of extreme dental anxiety or complex dental procedures that require an extended period of time. You will still be conscious and responsive if needed. IV sedation is performed by a Dental Anesthesiologist. Patients with this type of sedation will need adult supervision for 24 hours starting at the time they receive sedation. Patients should not attempt to drive or operate machinery during that time frame.
Ultrasonic technology used in dental hand held devices uses ultrasonic waves to aid in the location of calcified canals, removal of posts and preparation of microsurgical retrograde fillings and obturations. The use of ultrasonic devices in endodontics has greatly improved our ability to treat the more 'challenging' endodontic cases.
An electronic apex locator is an electronic device used in endodontics to determine the length of the root canal space. The apex locator measures the specific resistance to electrical current of the apical foramen at the end of the root, using a pair of electrodes typically hooked into the lip and attached to an endodontic instrument. The use of the apex locator has greatly improved the accurate location of the apical foramen as well as greatly reduced the amount of radiographs that were once necessary during endodontic treatment.
The high powered illumination and magnification of microscopes has been highly beneficial to endodontic therapy, both surgical and non-surgical. We are now able provide better diagnosis and treatment as a result of improved visualization of anatomical features, soft and hard tissue pathologies.
The high powered illumination and magnification of dental microscopes has been highly beneficial to endodontic therapy, both surgical and non-surgical. We are now able provide better diagnosis and treatment as a result of improved visualization of anatomical features, soft and hard tissue pathologies.
Computerized tomography of the facial and oral structures is highly beneficial for endodontics. We utilize small volume cone-beam CT technology that provides highly accurate, 3-D radiographic images for the diagnosis, planning and treatment of endodontic pathology. 3-D imaging allows visualization of teeth, bone and surrounding tissues, with minimal radiation to the patient and accuracy not possible with 2-D imaging such as regular dental radiographs.
We use digital imaging software in our office, which allows us to take a digital picture of you and use our imaging system to predict how a particular treatment or cosmetic procedure would change the appearance of your teeth. This software is beneficial for patients who are considering cosmetic procedures but are not sure if they're ready for dramatic changes. Digital imaging also allows us to document your dental case and procedures very well. We take digital images of your face, teeth and smile to provide us with a permanent dental record and to provide a visual documentation of treatment.
Digital radiography has eliminated the use of conventional film and allows images to be loaded onto a computer of your mouth and teeth. Digital radiographic images have improved our ability to diagnose and treat endodontic pathology, as well as improving the sharing and transfer to other doctors. Digital radiography has also reduced the amount of radiation exposure by more than 80% when compared to conventional radiographs.
Many offices utilize electronic claims processing. This means that rather than being sent through the mail, a dental claim is sent electronically to an insurance company with the click of a button. We can submit information more efficiently and with fewer errors. This benefits patients because the turn-around time on claims is faster, and fewer claims are returned or denied.
Paperless charting means more efficiency and more accuracy. An office that has 'gone digital' records x-rays and charting with the aid of the computer and keeps all patients ' dental records electronically. Additionally, it cuts back on paper use. The computer eliminates this problem by standardizing charting methods, making it easy to understand dental charts, view up-to-date information and keep records accurately. When needed, this method also allows dental offices to more easily share information with other healthcare providers.
The dentist performs most of his dental procedures while wearing a pair of funny looking glasses called surgical telescopes. These powerful glasses have magnifiers on them, allowing the dentist to see fine details that would go unnoticed to the naked eye.