Lone Star Periodontics and Dental Implants

Today I went in for a consultation with Dr. Hinze for an extraction and implant replacement for an abscessed moral. The extraction was a recommendation made by my general dentist who has strong (negative) views of root canals and their long-​term effects. Needless to say, I was very stressed, confused and unsure of what path to take since most dentists would recommend a root canal first.
With very short notice, Dr. Hinze found time in his busy schedule to see me. It was, hands down, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a dentist. He was attentive and caring — listened and asked questions about the history of my tooth, asked about my concerns and listened to them all. He then spent more than 30 minutes discussing the various options I have to treat the tooth. He shared the pros and cons of each procedure and used supporting research and data to back it up. He was very familiar with the techniques and research out there and this gave me peace of mind that he was current on the studies in the area.
At the end of the appointment, we came to the conclusion that a root canal, and not an implant, was the best option for my tooth at this point in time and given all the factors at play with my specific situation. In fact this meant that he wouldn’t get my business in the short term and he even recommended an endodontist. What an ethical and honest doctor! Truly living up to the doctor’s oath! And it goes without saying that his office staff were as kind, helpful and friendly. I left feeling confident that I am on the right path.
I can’t stress how caring, genuine and knowledgable Dr. Hinze was. I highly recommend him and his office.

After reading another review on here that seemed very similar, I felt I had to share my experience. I saw Dr. Bingham for dental implants. After a 3D scan, he recommended I see an orthodontist and he would not continue my treatment without that (he did not want to schedule my next appointment until I saw the orthodontist he referred me to). I made it very clear I did not want to go back in braces. He did not listen to me, but made comments to the extent of «I wish I had better news». Thankfully, I saw an oral surgeon (MD) who told me I absolutely do not need braces (and did not understand why it was even a consideration), and significantly reduced the «severity» of my case: the situation of my bone (and bone grafting needed) wasn’t as dire as Dr. Bingham made it seem. I was very upset for the weeks after the appointment (waiting to be seen by the orthodontist against my own wishes) and am glad I got a second opinion. Others may have a better experience here, but for bone grafting or dental implants needed, I highly recommend you see an oral surgeon. As a patient, I want to be treated like a person, and my experience will be mostly defined by someone’s attitude and capability to listen. I’m glad I followed my instincts.

For a lateral dental implant I saw Dr. Hinze, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with both the result and the care I received. He is kind and professional, both he and his staff made an effort to be conscious of my unique scheduling issues. I’m glad I’ve finally got my smile back, and couldn’t have picked a better place to help me with that.

Called to schedule an appointment and found the receptionist rude and not accommodating. If someone calls wanting to give you business, it’s probably best to not act like that person is putting you out when they ask about possible appointment times and service fees. I opted not to schedule an appointment.

I had my first dental cleaning with Lonestar Periodontics and what a relief. I have been to a number of dentists in the last couple of year trying to find a place that is excellent at what they do but not «sale-​sy» like you aren’t sure what they are saying is really true.
The dental hygienist at Lonestar Periodontics is excellent and very careful to provide a thorough yet gentle cleaning experience. Also, when I asked Dr. Hinze about a concern I had with some older caps, he explained what was going on and assured me that the caps are in good shape. Looking forward to making this my permanent home for oral care.

I had a very positive experience here. My dentist, who I believe is ethical, honest, and fair, referred me to this practice to deal with an issue of receding gums. I felt like my doctor, Chris Bingham, was excellent in professionalism, manner, and follow-​up. He actually balked at me for NOT calling him on the cell phone number they give to patients following surgery to report a small issue; I had told him I didn’t feel it was necessary to bother him during non-​business hours. He very firmly stated that I should always call with any concerns no matter how small they seem to me! It seems that patient care is very important to this practice. The procedure itself went very well and my outcome was about as good as it gets, from what I understand about this type of treatment, so I was very pleased with the doctor’s technique and skill, although the post surgery recovery is just not fun for several days (this would be the case anywhere!). Generally I had very good interaction with the front office, and was impressed that the office manager actually seems very well versed in the type of treatments that the office provides, and was able to give me some helpful feedback after surgery. My only issue was a small delay in the office billing my insurance after the procedure, but that was resolved fairly quickly. I would definitely use them again if I have these types of needs in the future (which I hope I don’t!). I felt like I was in good hands.

I do not recommend this office if you are looking for Dr. Holtzclaw — he sold this practice two year ago to Dr. Heinz and Dr. Bingham. I called looking for Dr. Holtzclaw because of great recommendations of his work; unfortunately he no longer works at Lone Star Periodontics. The office led me to believe that Dr. Holtzclaw still worked at the office and when I arrived I was seen by a different doctor. This is not acceptable.

Lone Star Periodontics is an exceptional dental practice with excellent customer service and communication. I received top-​notch care at a reasonable price.
I have known Dr Hinze to be an excellent periodontist for nearly 10 years. During this period, I have experienced his professionalism and perfectionism in performing dental procedures. Lone Star Perio is and has been my FIRST place to visit for any periodontal problems.

If I had to summarize my experience with Lone Star Periodontics in one sentence I would write, «Save your money and spare your sanity, or prepare for the worst.»
Procedure: Two bone grafts.
Cost: $ 3,500
Issue #1: No on prepared me that my jaw would possibly be numb for up to six months post surgery. When I called two days after to explain this, the office admin said, ‘Yeah, that’s a possibility, you could be numb for months,” and tried to hang up on me. I had to demand a post op visit to be sure a nerve wasn’t severed.
Issue #2: I was treated very patronizingly. Does anyone like to be treated this way??? That’s a rhetorical question.
Issue #3: They don’t direct bill insurance. I had the surgery at the end of December, 2014 and it is now 4÷28÷15 and I am still fighting with my insurance to get partially reimbursed.
Issue #4: And here’s a doozy… when I came to my senses and realized I need to get a second opinion about the numbness and work that was done, I saw an oral /​maxillofacial surgeon (i.e. someone with more schooling and training). I was told that the grafts were UNNECESSARY and that there is an implant that would have accomplished the same thing without the bone grafting surgery. So, no numbness, and no wasted money.
Also, Lone Star said I had to wait six months to see if the grafts worked, which the surgeon saw six weeks later and said they weren’t substantial enough to accomplish what they intended to accomplish. To me this would indicate Lone Star was priming me for ANOTHER $ 3,500 procedure.
So, while I hate writing bad reviews for small businesses, my experience was so awful that my sincere hope is that others don’t have to experience what I did… an extremely painful and expensive procedure that was completely unnecessary.

I just get my implant with Dr Fritz Hinze excellent job was done ! very reasonable price ! I will come back to see Long star periodontics in the future if i needed anything !

I am very thankful to have found such a talented Periodontist in Austin.
I relocated from San Francisco to Austin. In SF, I had over 7 gum grafting procedures. My front four teeth have been grafted twice without success. I saw the symptoms and I knew it was time for another round gum grafting. I asked my dentist for a referral, Dr. Holtzclaw.
Dr. H explained why my previous gum grafting failed and generally why I needed gum grafting. He explained how he was going to do a different type of graft. Additionally, Dr. H made a retainer to protect my palate where the graft was taken.
The procedure itself was efficient and smooth. The staff was kind and available for any questions. There were options for sedation. Dr. H worked with my need for different types of pain medicines. Dr. H’s pricing was EXTREMELY fair.
I can see the difference between my SF grafting and Dr. H’s grafting; his grafting is thicker and more luscious. I have complete confidence Dr. H’s graft will stay. Additionally, the retainer was a game changer! With the retainer, I bled less and my palate healed much, much faster. Overall, I was much more comfortable and had much less pain.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Dr. H.

Wow, I never thought I’d give 5 stars to someone who pulled my tooth, but here goes. A few months back, one of my crowns broke off at the gum line. There was no saving the tooth, and an extraction was suggested. I didn’t want to go toothless, so I researched my options and decided on getting an implant.
My dentist recommended Lone Star as that’s who he uses. I figured I’d be in pretty good hands. Boy, I had no idea what a great experience this would be. I went in and met with Dr Fritz Hinze and he put me at ease immediately. He’s got this adorable way about him and just a lovely assuring nature. That’s the last time I remember seeing him.
I scheduled the procedures (extraction/​bone graft/​implant) for a day my husband could take off work. Dr Hinze staff worked with me on payments and made sure I had all the meds I needed before the procedure. I took a Halcion before the surgery and really don’t remember a damn thing. I woke up on the way home and wondered when we would get there to find out it was over. I could feel where my gums had been cut open and I could feel the stitches, and I just kept waiting for the pain to get bad. It didn’t…ever. I did take some advil for a week after as I had a light amount of pain, but nothing that two ibus couldn’t handle. To top it off, I was drinking fresh squeezed orange juice the next afternoon with no pain at all.
How did he do it? I say he’s magic. Or at least, there’s magic in those hands. I hope never to have this done again, but if I do, I would be thrilled to see Dr Hinze again.

The entire staff is incredible here. From front office to hygienist to the specialists (I’ve met both but worked with Dr. Holtzclaw). On top of having severe dental anxiety, I had some pretty serious work that needed to be done – bone and gum graft around a preexisting frontal implant on the road to possible failure, not fun, but I could not have possibly felt safer than I did here. Extremely well versed on the cutting edge of the dental forefront it is obvious this specialist has a dental passion to follow up skill, and you can tell by the quality of work. I read one of the reviews about the staff all taking a lunch hour – this makes me feel much safer as the last thing anyone wants is to deal with people suffering from low blood sugar or to smell food mixed with minty clean dental stuff. I saw a sign on the door when I went during lunch hour but this is also on their answering machine. I had to call after hours due to my work schedule and was followed up with within minutes. We were also able to work out a comfortable payment plan and also note they take care credit and most insurances. Dental work can feel like the worst, this place makes it so much easier because you know no matter what you’re in good hands.

Dr Holtzclaw is the expert and my implant went perfectly. The cost was discussed upfront, VERY fair price since I had consultations with 3 additional implant docs. He gives lectures on periodontics and very well respected among his colleagues and peers. His staff was professional. The location is convenient.
I can’t believe that I am going to write this. I am actually looking forward to another implant with this doc if I need one. GO to this periodontist.
I also go here to get my teeth cleaned and Monica the hygentist is very nice and did an excellent job. They don’t try to oversell you on thousands of dollars in fillingx and crowns. because they don’t do them here. :)

Generally good overall, but I balk at the professionalism. I had a gum graft done which is now about six weeks old and it went pretty well all things considered, but I also had to put up with quite a bit that most offices wouldn’t tolerate.
First off, the docs are really on the ball. Very knowledgeable and genial. I did discover the hard way that making an appointment for 1 PM is a bad idea. I showed up at 12:45 for my procedure and was locked out of the office. No «back at 1:05» sign. I assumed they had plum forgot. For my follow-​up appointment, just a routine check-​up that took about 5 minutes, I had to wait for the doctor to arrive from lunch — at 1:40 after I had already been in the chair the entire time. He chalked it up to traffic.
Same doctor — again, I think he’s fantastic at what he does — played spicy Latin music during the actual procedure. This is highly unprofessional. Maybe he thought it was OK since I had brought my iPod and it was Friday but I shudder to think of what I would have had to endure if there were no earbuds on my end.
The staff encouraged me to waltz out after the procedure and neglected to bill me, so they had to chase me down by telephone and when I asked about my reimbursement — at the end of the 4 – 6 week reimbursement waiting period that they told me to expect — I was directed to the monolithic insurance company’s phone system for answers, when in fact LSP were the ones holding onto the check while accounting reconciled. So that was annoying, because it’s actually a 6 – 8 week reimbursement period while I garner 13% APR on a $ 1200 charge. Math. Math. Dollars. Math. Dollars.
You know when you go to a movie because
has critics and viewers picks in the high 90% range, and the movie isn’t that great so you feel let down? Natch.