Dr. Cameron Y. S. Lee‘s surgical practice is very innovative and technology driven. Over the many years, he has introduced to his patients in Hawaii the use of computers in surgery with 3D diagnostic computer software; in-office cone beam CT scans; intraoral optical laser scanners to obtain electronic digital impressions of the patient’s jaws and teeth; and use of cellular therapy to enhance soft and hard tissue wound healing. The end result is improved surgical outcome for all of his patients.

In-office Cone Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT) scans combined with computer interactive software allows the surgeon to accurately evaluate, diagnose and treatment plan all surgical cases in three dimensions (3D). Three-dimensional imaging of the patient’s anatomy prior to surgery is now a reality, making surgery more predictable and accurate.

Doctor Lee continues to push the surgical envelope. He has integrated the use of in-office cone beam (CBCT) scans with 3D software and the iTero intraoral optical laser scanner. During the surgical and prosthetic (fabrication of teeth) phases of treatment, Dr. Lee is able to “scan” the patient’s jaws and teeth to obtain replicas of them that will be used in both the surgery and prosthetic phases of treatment. Therefore, the use of traditional messy putty type impressions that can cause the patient to gag is avoided.

Dental implant treatment can be used to replace one or more teeth, or used to support poor fitting dentures. Patient age is not a consideration as to who can benefit from dental implants, the most important issue is your quality of life. Quality of life for many patients is that beautiful smile they had when they had teeth. Or, being able to chew their food or talk without fear that the denture will fall our of their mouth. Quality of life can be drastically improved with the use of dental implants, should your concern be functional or cosmetic.

Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely, or be damaged or lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.

The procedure to place a dental implant takes 30 to 60 minutes for one implant and only 2 to 3 hours for multiple implants. The number of appointments and time required, vary from patient to patient. The surgeon will bring great precision and attention to the details of your case.

Although many patients have no problem wearing an upper denture, some people find it difficult to wear and eat with lower dentures. Several implant-supported replacement options are available if you are missing all of your lower teeth.

After tooth extraction, if the walls of the socket are very thick, they will usually fill naturally with bone in two to three months. However, when the walls of your socket are very thin (such as in your upper and lower front teeth), this type of healing will not be as predictable. In these situations, a bone graft is often placed at the time of tooth extraction to help your body fill in the empty socket with bone. This step will maintain the width and volume of bone you will need for implant placement several months later.

An Implant Supported Overdenture is a contemporary restoration that has revolutionized the way surgeons and dentists think of replacing a full set of teeth. Standard dentures are unsecured prostheses with inherent limitations. Most often, dentures are painful, inconvenient and unstable. Such dentures can make chewing foods difficult, limiting the foods that you once enjoyed. Modern dentistry can help with implant supported dentures.

Teeth Right Now is a revolutionary concept developed by Dr. Lee providing patients with temporary teeth placed on the dental implants in one single procedure on the day of the implant surgery. This benefits the patient in that they have teeth on the same day of the surgery. In addition, the patient experiences less discomfort, facial swelling and bruising. Patients can often resume their normal activities the next day.

Many options are available, and they are tailored to your specific requirements. If you need a replacement tooth while the implants are healing, temporary removable teeth or a temporary bridge can be made. If all of your teeth are missing, we can usually modify your present complete denture or make you a new temporary denture. If you would prefer non-removable teeth during the healing phase, temporary transitional implants usually can be placed along with the permanent implants, and temporary teeth may be made and inserted the same day. Depending on your particular situation, some implants can be placed and “loaded” immediately. This means a temporary or permanent replacement tooth can be placed on, or shortly after, the day the implant is placed.

Dental implants have been available for several decades. However, for most patients, they are still a relatively new concept. When considering the cost of dental implants and comparing quotes, there are several important points that should be kept in mind.

With missing teeth, over time the jaw bones shrink and resorb. This results in a condition where the jaw bones are of poor quality and quantity that prevents placement of dental implants. When this occurs, the surgeon must correct the deficit in bone volume by placing bone into the area of the defect and allowing the bone to regenerate. This is termed a “bone graft”.

When one or more teeth are missing, it can lead to jawbone loss at the site of the gap. This loss of jawbone can develop into additional problems, both with your appearance and your overall health. You may experience pain, problems with your remaining teeth, and altered facial appearance, and eventually even the inability to speak and eat normally.

The most common causes for jawbone deterioration and loss that may require a bone grafting procedure.

A ridge augmentation is a common dental procedure often performed following a tooth extraction to help recreate the natural contour of the gums and jaw that may have been lost due to bone loss as a result of a tooth extraction, or for another reason.

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. These sinuses are empty, air-filled spaces. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

The inferior alveolar nerve which gives feeling to the lower lip and chin may need to be moved in order to make room for placement of dental implants to the lower jaw. This procedure is limited to the lower jaw and indicated when teeth are missing in the area of the two back molars and/or and second premolar, with the above-mentioned secondary condition.

Removal of teeth is sometimes necessary because of pain, infection, bone loss or fracture of the tooth. The bone that holds the tooth in place (the socket) is often damaged by disease and/or infection resulting in deformity of the jaw after the tooth is extracted. In addition, when teeth are extracted, the surrounding bone and gums can shrink and recede very quickly after the extraction resulting in unsightly defects and collapse of the lips, and cheeks.

Removal of teeth is sometimes necessary because of pain, infection, bone loss or fracture of the tooth. The bone that holds the tooth in place (the socket) is often damaged by disease and/or infection resulting in deformity of the jaw after the tooth is extracted. In addition, when teeth are extracted, the surrounding bone and gums can shrink and recede very quickly after the extraction resulting in unsightly defects and collapse of the lips, and cheeks.

The average adult has 32 teeth by age 18 16 teeth on the top and 16 teeth on the bottom. Each tooth in the mouth has a specific name and function. The teeth in the front of the mouth (incisors, canine and bicuspid teeth) are ideal for grasping and biting food into smaller pieces while the back teeth, or molar teeth, are used to grind food up into a consistency suitable for swallowing.

Oral, Maxillofacial and Reconstructive Surgeons are highly skilled and uniquely qualified to manage a variety of facial trauma. Dr. Lee is on staff at several area medical centers to provide emergency room coverage for facial injuries including lacerations of the face and mouth to facial bone fractures including the jaws. The science and art of managing such injuries requires highly trained surgeons with the skill to provide a favorable outcome.

Patients who have a “crooked” face or jaw, or the jaw is too big or too small may be candidates for corrective jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery. Your facial profile will affect your appearance, how well you talk and chew your food, and most importantly, your self-esteem.

Some patients require minor oral surgical procedures before receiving a partial or complete denture, in order to ensure the maximum level of comfort. A denture sits on the bone ridge, so it is very important that the bone is the proper shape and size. If a tooth needs to be extracted, the underlying bone might be left sharp and uneven. For the best fit of a denture, the bone might need to be smoothed out or reshaped. Occasionally, excess bone would need to be removed prior to denture insertion.

The lining of the mouth and lips is usually smooth and pink in color. Any change in physical appearance could be a sign of disease. An area of expertise with Dr. Lee is in the diagnosis and management of diseases of the mouth, face and jaws.

An impacted tooth simply means that it is stuck and cannot erupt into function. Patients frequently develop problems with impacted third molar (wisdom) teeth. These teeth get stuck in the back of the jaw and can develop painful infections among a host of other problems (see Impacted Wisdom Teeth under Procedures). Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if they develop problems. The maxillary cuspid (upper eyetooth) is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The cuspid tooth is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your bite. The cuspid teeth are very strong biting teeth and have the longest roots of any human teeth. They are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together so they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite.

As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, I have the opportunity to positively change the lives of our patients, said Dr. Lee. We have the ability to evaluate adult patients regarding airway issues with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is characterized by sleep-related periodic breathing, upper-airway obstruction, sleep disruption, asphyxia and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, Lee explains. In a recent study, we were able to demonstrate that using a non-cutting laser procedure can increase the total airway volume and most constricted area of the patient’s airway, Lee emphasizes. Such research capability is possible with use of an in-office CT scan and imaging software. We can view the patient’s anatomic airway, obtain precise measurements and observe airway volumes with color-coded constriction values before and after treatment.

Being acknowledged as one of Honolulu Magazines Best Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons by his peers is what continues to motivate Dr. Cameron Y.S. Lee to push the surgical envelope. “I appreciate the recognition by my dental colleagues and am humbled by such an honor.” We are dedicated to clinical surgery and scholarly research and continue to explore new three dimension (3D) digital technologies and how we can incorporate such leading-edge technology into surgical reconstruction of the jaws and teeth, said Dr Lee.

As we age, the skin begins to show signs of aging. Wrinkles appear. Skin pores increase in size. Hyperpigmentation develops. Skin texture is no longer smooth. To slow down the effects of aging, microneedling was developed with the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP). Microneedling is a non-surgical treatment that creates small needle point openings in the skin to allow the PRP to enter the skin pores.

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a product of blood (plasma) that is rich in platelets. Dr. Lee is a leader in this area of cellular regenerative medicine, as he has published and lectured extensively on this subject. In 2000, Dr. Lee was the first surgeon to introduce PRP to Hawaii. He was also the first surgeon to use PRP in a reconstructive jaw surgery at Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, Hawaii. To earn his PhD degree, Dr. Lee’s doctoral dissertation led to the publication of several peer reviewed manuscripts on PRP for bone graft reconstruction of the atrophic maxillary sinus that were published in implant surgery journals.

As we age, the skin of the face will begin to lose its tightness. Skin and facial muscles sag. Jowls develop. To slow down the affects of aging, thread lifting was developed. Thread lifting is a non-surgical procedure that uses polydioxanone (PDO) threads for non-surgical tightening and lifting of the face. The procedure is performed in the office and the results are immediate- a subtle lifting of the face. The threads are dissolved within four to six months. The treads stimulate collagen production which is what keeps the skin firm.