Dr. Rafael Cortés Álvarez
Guided implantology in Baja California did not arrive gradually. It arrived in 2006, with a twenty-six-year-old surgeon planning full-arch cases on a computer while the region was still getting used to digital radiography.
- Diploma, Loma Linda University
- First in the region to work with NobelGuide, 2006
- Mentored by Dr. Alan Kleiman
Where the surgical judgment came from
Dr. Rafael Cortés Álvarez, Director of Makeover Dental Studio, graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and went on to certify with a diploma from Loma Linda University in the United States. A pioneer of guided implant surgery in Baja, in 2006 he placed the region’s first All-on-6 case using NobelGuide 3D technology — at a point when computer-planned surgery was unfamiliar territory for most of the profession — and he has worked with Nobel Biocare for the nineteen uninterrupted years since.
What he was building then are the technical foundations of what the field now calls All-on-4, All-on-6 and All-on-X. Twenty years later, the same principle governs the practice: the case is planned in three dimensions before anything is opened.
Reaching that point at twenty-six was not luck. It was training taken at the level where the discipline is actually decided.
He was mentored directly by Professor Dr. Alan Kleiman, a pioneer in modern implant research, and worked through the fundamentals of Dr. Sascha Jovanovic’s continuing-education system in video conference and training programs. That preparation is what made it possible to conclude, in 2006, that the future of implantology was three-dimensional planning and predictability, rather than judgment improvised in the operating room.
How a case moves through the studio
Imaging the same day you arrive
Tomography and diagnostic evaluation are completed on the day of arrival, so planning begins immediately rather than in a second trip.
Surgical guide in about an hour
The personalized surgical guide is designed and produced express, which is what makes millimetric placement possible on the same visit.
Provisional within twenty-four hours
From a single tooth to full rehabilitation on multiple implants, the provisional restoration is delivered within a maximum of twenty-four hours.
Implant systems
Nineteen uninterrupted years with Nobel Biocare, the Swedish system used for the first guided cases in 2006, alongside Straumann of Switzerland and Hiossen of South Korea.
- Nobel Biocare — Sweden, since 2006
- Straumann — Switzerland
- Hiossen — South Korea
Regeneration biomaterials
Grafting and tissue regeneration are done with materials chosen for documented biological predictability, not for cost.
- Zimmer Dental — United States, grafting and biomaterials
- Straumann Group — Switzerland, bone stability
- Geistlich — Switzerland, guided bone and tissue regeneration
- Cytoplast — United States, high-density membranes
A consultation is where we look at what you actually need, not at what we would like to sell you.
Dr. Rafael Cortes Alvarez
What this means if you are crossing the border
A workflow that produces imaging, a surgical guide and a provisional restoration inside twenty-four hours is not a marketing detail for a patient who lives in San Diego. It is the difference between one trip and three.
You will still receive a written treatment plan in English and a clear cost before anything begins, and the schedule will be mapped out from day one so you can plan the trips you actually need.
Frequently asked
What patients ask before booking an implant consultation.
Can the whole case really be done in one trip?
Imaging, planning, guide production and the provisional restoration are designed to happen within twenty-four hours. The final restoration comes after integration, which takes three to six months and requires a second visit. We will tell you your specific schedule before you commit.
Which implant system will be used in my case?
Nobel Biocare, Straumann or Hiossen, depending on the anatomy and the restoration planned. The choice is a clinical decision and it will be explained to you, with the system named, before treatment begins.
What is guided surgery, in practice?
Position, angle and depth are decided on a three-dimensional scan and transferred to your mouth with a custom guide. It means less guesswork near the nerve and the sinus, smaller incisions, and a restoration designed before the implant goes in.
Is the laboratory in-house?
Yes. The studio has its own laboratory, with a digital workflow connected to two established laboratories in the region for cases that call for it.
How do I verify the credentials?
Cédula profesional 5933630 is registered with the Mexican Secretaría de Educación Pública and can be checked in the public registry at cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx.
Request your consultation
A consultation is where we look at what you actually need, not at what we would like to sell you. If the answer is that you need less than you thought, that is what we will tell you.
US: +1 (619) 202-0423
MX: +52 (664) 634-2023
makeoverdentalstudio@outlook.com
Frida Kahlo 10410, Torre Quatro, 1st floor, office 106
Zona Urbana Rio, Tijuana, B.C. 22010
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm | Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm
