Del Rio dental care turning to patient comfort, tranquility, good looks

October 23, 2007
By Bill Sontag
Feature Writer

It's wonderful to be in on the creation of something, see it used, and then walk away and smile at it.
-- Lady Bird Johnson

Age compels reflection on what’s important in life, but both the respected Dr. Bill Fritsch and his youthful protégé, Dr. Edson Martinez, have reasons to pause now and then, as suggested by the esteemed former First Lady.

Fritsch has 28 years of successful dental practice from which to walk away, smiling at every step.  And at the end of every day, Martinez finds gratification in each mouthful of teeth he's nudged toward health and cosmetic appeal.  Martinez has purchased both the practice and the tree-shaded limestone office building, 1121 Avenue E, but Fritsch continues to practice, albeit at a reduced schedule.

Martinez, 32 and a 1993 graduate of Del Rio High School, completed his doctorate of dental surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC), San Antonio in 2001.  He served as staff dentist, then dental director of United Medical Centers, Eagle Pass, for six years, and continues to discharge teaching responsibilities as clinical assistant professor in the Department of Community Dentistry at UTHSC.  His wife of four years, Ana B. Martinez, serves as office manager in the Martinez/Fritsch practice.

Changes in the practice mean increased service to a broader spectrum of patients, particularly children in whom Martinez specializes.  "I also see kids with a very gentle approach, and I see them at the hospital where a general anesthesia can be provided if necessary," said Martinez, Friday (Sept. 7).  He maintains medical staff privileges at both Val Verde Regional Medical Center, Del Rio, and Fort Duncan Medical Center, Eagle Pass.

Children are a priority for Martinez because of his unshakeable conviction that preventive dental care at all ages thwarts the onset of serious problems in the future.  "Rampant dental decay" is common, and particularly onerous in border communities, Martinez said, quoting a former U.S. Surgeon General who declared that childhood caries (progressive inflammation, erosion and destruction of teeth) is the most common of childhood diseases.

"People believe that since 'baby teeth' will fall out anyway, that they don't need to worry about this, but they're wrong.  They're the teeth that will guide the placement and health of the permanent teeth.  The roots of baby teeth and the bone structure have to be healthy to produce good permanent teeth," Martinez explained.

Failure to recognize such a basic progression is prevalent in border counties in Texas, Martinez said. Kids have nearly constant access to too many erosive soda drinks and candy, including "lucas," acidic, lemon- and lime-flavored candies.  Carbonated beverages contain carbonic acid and sugars that feed bacteria, too, Martinez said, and the condition of so-called baby teeth can dramatically affect the health of adult teeth during the period of "mixed dentition," with corrupted deciduous teeth in the presence of emerging permanent teeth.

Martinez is also both proponent and provider of cosmetic dentistry which he believes holds promise for a patient’s mental health in addition to improved dental vigor.  "Cosmetic dentistry can create life-changing experiences for people.  It can affect their confidence, even including feeling better prepared for their jobs and their emotional well-being," Martinez said.  "There's a very strong connection between cosmetic dentistry and mental health."

Though Martinez insists that the first priority for any patient is simple oral health, the emotional benefits of cosmetic dentistry should never be dismissed.  "Some people just never smile," Martinez said, lamenting the ramifications of a life spent without that natural facial expression.  Still, his ethical approach is to never recommend cosmetic dentistry until a patient asks what can be done about tooth spacing, whitening, straightening, or concealment of imperfections.

Dental veneers, thin shells of porcelain bonded onto the front surfaces of teeth, are one of the most requested procedures, Martinez said.  "They're usually done after we do a whitening procedure, to be sure we get the proper tooth color for the veneer."  Martinez touts the practice's use of Zoom!® laser whitening technology.  "It's the same used in extreme makeovers," Martinez said.  "On the market right now, it's probably the best thing you can get."

Invisalign® products are an increasingly requested method of straightening teeth with transparent custom-designed aligners, rather than traditional metallic braces.

Martinez also works on more traditional dental problems, including the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, but for all his procedural skills he hopes to nudge youngsters toward interests in dental careers.  "We need to 'grow our own' here," Martinez said, inviting youths to contact him with interests in shadow assignments and other educational opportunities.

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 – 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday.  The full range of services offered by Martinez may be seen at his Web site, www.edsonmartinezdds.com.