Guy Huynh-Ba, DDS, MS

Guy Huynh-Ba, DDS, MS, 2012 Teaching Fellow:

1. What is your research focus?

My research has been focusing on the timing of implant placement and its impact on esthetic outcomes following dental implant therapy. There is little evidence in the literature comparing the esthetic outcome of immediate implant placement (Type 1) and the early implant placement (Type 2). Therefore, a research protocol was developed to compare the two treatment approaches.

2. What has/have been the most significant contribution(s) of your research to our specialty?

The clinical randomized controlled trial compared the esthetic, clinical and patient centered outcomes of the two treatment protocols and the short term results, i.e. 3 months after final crown delivery showed no difference between these two treatment protocols. This research has just been accepted for publication and is available online ahead of publication ("Epub ahead of print", PMID: 25758100)

3. What are some future directions of your research program?

Some of the future directions include a longer-term follow-up of these initial results. Also since a thin periodontal phenotype has been considered as a risk factor for adverse esthetic outcomes following immediate implant placement, a protocol has been developed to specifically treat patient with a thin periodontal phenotype and will be compared to the outcome of patient with thick tissue phenotype considered at lesser risk.

4. What influence did the support from the Foundation have on your career as a researcher?

The Foundation through their financial support have helped me to pursue my teaching career by allowing me to offset some of the costs of my education and thereby allowing me to mentor residents for their Master's degree and contributing to the body of scientific evidence in the field of implantology. I am grateful for the support that the Foundation has given me and thereby allowing me to be a full-time Academician.