Winterholler Dentistry & Dental Implant Center

Reviews 3

TO

Tony Marriott

YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF to consult with Dr. Chris BEFORE you make a decision on how to proceed, should you be in need of dental assistance. I have had dental issues for as long as I can remember, starting with dozens of cavities as a young child, and root canals and extractions in the late 1990s. What I didnt know was that the absence of teeth results in loss of bone - "resorption" - fairly rapidly. By the time I started looking for a permanent fix to my dental issues in late 2014, I was in deep trouble. I consulted with a number of dentists, prosthodontists and oral maxillofacial surgeons, both locally in Scottsdale, Arizona and with international leaders in the field, including Paulo Malo in Lisbon who "authored" the All on 4 dental implant technique. They were unanimous in their opinions. Prognosis for the remaining teeth - upper and lower - was extremely poor and the remaining teeth should be removed so the advanced periodontal disease could be dealt with. The proposed solutions varied - ranging from the "classic" approach of sinus lift surgery to replace the bone at the rear of the upper jaw, and full arch implants over an 18 month period, to the "All-on-4" technique which would deal with removal of the teeth, the placement of the implants, and the installation of temporary upper and lower prostheses all during a single procedure. The first decision to make was which approach to take. Three weeks of significant research, including long term success rates, possible complications, etc. led me to the conclusion that the "All-on-4" approach was the best for me - even though due to my severe bone loss I would need two zygomatic implants in the rear of the upper jaw. The next, and most important decision to make, was who would be the best provider to do the procedure. Once again, research time. Online reviews, qualifications, articles authored, teaching other dental professionals, pretty much any information I could obtain on the eight candidates on my short list. It came down to a choice of two. Paulo Malo in Lisbon, and Chris Winterholler in Scottsdale. Chris had been to Lisbon to train with Malo, and was very well experienced with cases such as mine, having performed hundreds of "All-on-4s" over the past several years here in Scottsdale. The selection process was grueling - and I have no intention of bashing any of the local candidates - but what I will state, CATEGORICALLY, is that YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF to consult with Dr. Chris BEFORE you make a decision on how to proceed, should you be in need of dental assistance. There is NO FEE for the consultation, and Dr. Chris and his staff will take as much time as is needed to make sure all of your questions are answered, and that you fully understand your situation and the proposed treatment plan. I chose to have Chris Winterholler do my procedure. Tuesday, January 13th saw me arrive at the Desert Mirage Surgery Center (an excellent facility) bright and early at 6am. The procedure was underway by 730am and I was awake and walking out of the facility some 7 hours later - with - as promised - upper and lower full arches! My wife and my father are both very impressed with the results - telling me how great my new teeth look - and encouraging me to smile. :-) Those that know me, know that Im very objective when it comes to evaluating service providers, and its extremely rare for me to deliver high praise on every aspect of an experience with a medical provider, but Winterholler Dentistry truly deserves the highest praise I can give them. Their facilities are convenient. Their technology is state-of-the-art. Their staff treats you like best friends. As another reviewer stated "Once you have been here there is no need to look anywhere else." I wholeheartedly agree!

BU

Buffy Black

Id first like to say that Dr. Chris is the best dentist Ive ever encountered. For me, he has been like a miracle worker. Ive always been an extreme gagger and consequently have been terrified during visits to numerous dentists throughout the years. Other gaggers will understand this! When it recently became clear that my lower teeth needed to be extracted and replaced, my greatest fear had been realized. I was referred to Dr. Chris by our previous dentist in Seattle, who was very impressed with him while the two of them provided advanced technical training to other dentists around the country. We are 90 miles from his Payson clinic, but I requested a consultation with Dr. Chris shortly after we moved to Arizona. Right from the start, it was obvious that he and his staff were very competent, professional and caring. His sense of humor and assurance that he could work around my gag reflex really helped put me at ease. Id never felt that comfortable with a dentist before. He clearly explained all of the options available to me. Because of my gagging, standard dentures were not a good option for me. My husband and I decided that my best route would be the relatively new 4-on-1 procedure, using four implant stems to support a streamlined plate of lower teeth. The initial extractions and implant surgery were done in one day. Since I was under anesthetic, there was no gagging or pain during the procedure. It went better than I would have ever expected! In addition to the extractions and implants during that first procedure, Dr. Chris mounted my temporary teeth to the new implants. Because the teeth were set slightly above the gums, I was able to chew shortly after surgery. The temporary teeth were made in advance of the surgery. In preparation for that, he used digital imaging instead of standard impression trays, so gagging was not an issue. Later, in preparation for my permanent teeth, Dr. Chris needed to get impressions of my mouth with the implant stems, so that my new permanent teeth would align perfectly with my uppers. He put his innovative creativity to work and was able to make an impression without using the bulky traditional impression trays. He intertwined floss around my implant stems and then used a resin, creating the impression much like someone might do if they were building a fiberglass surface. The impression worked great! When my new permanent teeth arrived, they fit beautifully ... and I couldnt be happier! I cant overstate what a wonderful job Dr. Chris and his staff did! Over the years, Im sure Ive been a nightmare for other dentists. Its not easy to work on a patient with a strong gag reflex, especially one who is very apprehensive. Because of his competence and confidence, Dr. Chris, who I now call Dr. Wizard, was never intimidated. I didnt gag at all throughout the entire process and felt supported every step of the way. Dr, Chris and his wife, Dr. Patrice, are both dentists, and they make a dynamic team. Gaggers in Arizona now have a wonderful alternative. And hey ... if youre not a gagger .... BONUS! You still win big! Rave reviews from this patient!!

KR

Kristen Ford

I was so happy upon completion of my dental implants and veneers that I cried once I saw the final product. My 17 year wait without teeth had finally come to an end. I cant stop getting compliments from my friends, family and co-workers on my finished smile. Dr. Winterholler & his staff have always wanted the very best for me every step of the way. His entire office focuses on a pain free approach at each stage of the procedure. Missing 11 adult teeth since birth left quite a challenge for many dental professionals in the past & many would pass my case by for something easier. Not Dr. Winterholler!! He not only took on the challenge, but exceeded my expectations in every way possible!! When I expressed my concern about working in the Customer Service field and needing to have teeth at each stage of the procedure, he worked hard to come up with a temporary model that impressed myself and my family. His staff took special care in making the temporarys look at natural as possible, and these were only the temporarys! :) The temporary model he came up with had me thinking there is no way my finished product will look as good as these since each tooth was such a larger version. I am pleased to say, my finished product looks even better than the model he worked so hard to create!! To complete my finished product, Dr. Winterholler and his staff stepped outside the patient plan to give me the smile of my dreams!! I will be forever grateful to everyone in the office at Winterholler Dentistry!! Thanks to them I have teeth I could have never dreamed possible!! If you too are missing teeth and considering dental implants as an approach to solving your lifetime struggle, look no farther! You will not be disappointed from the moment you make the call to Winterholler Dentistry!! :)