The Story Behind the Megahertz Implant System
I have been an inventor in the dental implant field as well as in general dentistry for over thirty years. I had an "aha" moment when a patient told me that they were an inventor with several successful innovations. This inspired me to realize that I too could be an inventor. I never thought that regular people could create inventions, but ideas can come from anywhere. After practicing dentistry for three decades, I recognized various areas within my practice that needed change and presented challenges for both my patients and me. Many of these issues should not have existed in the first place. The driving force behind my inventions has always been identifying my patients' greatest concerns regarding dental care, which often corresponded to my own challenges in treating them.
In implant dentistry, the issues were clear:
- Implants took a long time to complete, often over a year.
- A significant amount of skill and education was required to place them correctly. Despite taking several courses and becoming certified to place implants, I never had enough hands-on experience to feel competent, which led me to refer patients to specialists. Patients often wanted me to perform the work in my clinic and felt disappointed when I couldn't.
- Completing a case typically required multiple visits with both the specialists and me.
- There was often a considerable amount of post-surgical discomfort.
- All these visits and varying doctors resulted in high costs. I practice in the Bronx, serving a primarily blue-collar and fixed-income community. Many patients could not afford implant-supported tooth replacements.
One day, my 97-year-old father-in-law lost the use of his very old bridges. He couldn't wear partials due to a gag reflex. Although he was remarkably healthy at 97, he was not willing to spend $25,000 and a minimum of six months making regular visits to different dentists (even if sinus augmentation was not necessary). This situation prompted me to think creatively, leading to the creation of the Megahertz Implant System. Now, the entire process would only require two visits to any dental office and would cost about $12,000. While it might only last for ten years, that would be sufficient; it could last even longer.
When I invent something, I aim to address my patients' issues. In the case of the Megahertz Implant System, the procedure is completed more quickly with fewer visits, less travel to unfamiliar dentists and offices, reduced discomfort, and significantly lower costs. In many cases, the Megahertz Implant System requires less bone, which expands the opportunity for implant-supported dental prosthetics to a much larger population of patients. The treating dentist needs minimal training, and the entire process is quick and easy, involving very minimal surgery. This allows more dentists to provide care to a larger population of patients, resulting in a win-win situation for everyone (except, perhaps, traditional implant manufacturers).
This marks the beginning of a new era in dental care!
- Dr. Paul Hertz, DMD