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When the Body Hurts… But the Surgery Still Flows
Some days the body breaks… but the surgery still teaches.
A posterior implant case where restraint, soft tissue intelligence, and keratinized mucosa repositioning replaced unnecessary reconstruction.
Because true mastery is simple: you tailor the technique to the patient — not the patient to the technique.
8 hours ago3 min read


Margarida’s First IEXCEL Case — When the Guide Doesn’t Move
This post describes a first clinical experience with Straumann IEXCel and TLX implants placed under static guidance using the iGUIDE system.
A stepwise drilling protocol combined with dual-pin fixation provided high guide stability, predictable osteotomy preparation, and excellent primary stability.
Three posterior implants were successfully inserted with minimal deviation, highlighting the importance of method, teamwork, and precise guided workflows.
3 days ago4 min read


When the Ridge is a Knife Edge… and We Still Achieve a Perfect Implant
From a knife-edge ridge to a stable foundation — all in one surgery.
Because implantology is not about adding steps… it’s about reading the bone and choosing the right architecture.
4 days ago4 min read


Static Guided Thoughts : Episode 1 — The 2 mm Twist Drill: The First Contact
Episode 1 — The 2 mm Twist Drill
The first contact with bone defines everything: axis, depth, emergence.
Master the pilot drill… and you master the entire case.
5 days ago3 min read


Beyond the Guide: Real-Life Challenges in Full-Arch Surgery
This full-arch FP1 case with Straumann’s iGuide system highlighted both the power and limitations of guided surgery in real clinical
Jan 247 min read


#15 & #25 — When We Don’t Have the Magic Triangle
Great Insight from Dr Margarida Carido on the #25 Immediate implant placement - a derivative technique to the "magic triangle" one
Jan 201 min read


2025 — A Year Measured in Places, but Lived in Decisions
A year to Remember !!
Jan 15 min read


How Education Is Changing
How Education Is Changing ⭐ speak the truth “People don’t want titles anymore. They want the truth — the how, the experience, and the human behind the knowledge.” 🔥 translate research “You can show beautiful research, but if you don’t work in the clinic, you can’t translate it to the real world.” 🎯 Education-focused “Education must stop selling results and start teaching the process.” ❤️ Giving-back mindset “Build courses to teach, not to profit — and guide students to beco
Dec 28, 20252 min read


Polished / Machined Collars: When Bone Doesn’t Read Textbooks
Polished / Machined Collars: When Bone Doesn’t Read Textbooks There was a time when we were certain. Certain that bone does not attach to smooth surfaces. Certain that polished collars were the enemy of stability. Certain enough to transform assumptions into protocols. Looking back, I don’t think we were wrong. I think we were honest with what we knew at that time. I remember very clearly a discussion many years ago — a cold Tuesday, a very cold Tuesday — in downtown Manhatta
Dec 26, 20255 min read


Detail matters - manifesto
Detail matters “Bone, pixels, prosthetics… and a near FBI arrest. This is not a case report — it’s a manifesto. Detail matters. “ manifesto in 4 parts Yesterday, Easter day, I left the clinic at 6 in the evening. Christmas Eve. Very hollow and joyful at the same time, to be with lab tech Sofia, planning a case and sharing knowledge with her. She doesn’t know anything — in fact, neither do I, I think. I can only share my insights, which are a mixture of what others have taught
Dec 24, 20254 min read


To give back
To give back! “And at the end, when he said thank you, Dr. Chen, I said thank you for helping me in the past. I tried to give my best to honor the moment.” I am in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, just finished my lecture for the dentists at the Saudi Arabia Medical Hospital in Riyadh. I’m in the VIP hall at Turkish Airlines, waiting for my flight to Istanbul, and then, from Istanbul, going home. I was just reminding myself of the case we did on Thursday. Dr. A. was one of the mo
Dec 15, 20259 min read


Full Arch Rehabilitation – A Case Report From A to Z (Told in First Person)
“A clinical story told slowly, the same way I’d tell it to a student walking with me in the corridor.” The Art of Implantology Good morning to everyone, I hope you are OK. This is December… not really December, it’s more the end of November, and it’s cold in Lisbon, 10°. And it’s one day before we go to the United States, to New York, to present in the alumni. It’s gonna be a great week, but before we go, I just wanted to share a case with you. It was a full-mouth upper and l
Nov 29, 20259 min read


Understanding Adversity in Life
“When life hits you without warning, it’s the memory of your scars that teaches you the right answer.” I never understood why, in some cases, things go wrong for no apparent reason.I mean… you didn’t change, the world didn’t change, you apparently didn’t do anything awkward or wrong, and bang — you’re suddenly hit by a train in flames. Right in your face. That’s life… and that’s dentistry. This Thursday, I found myself not on the railway of the hell train, but in a situation
Nov 16, 20253 min read


The Magic Triangle
The Magic Triangle “Master the angle, find the island — and the case turns from challenge to art.” Heading off to Madeira Island to do some cool cases with my friend Jeanne! This island feels like the tropics — it reminds me of the Caribbean, of Venezuela! I always told Elena that I’ve always had the feeling I was born on the wrong side of the world. My body breathes the tropical forests, the beaches, the sun, the people, the food, the fruits, and the joy of living! So Madeir
Nov 4, 20253 min read


The Lamp That Leads Shines Twice as Bright
“The lamp only glows in the hands of those who dare to run first.” Andre Chen I’m in transit — from Lisbon to Baku, sitting at Frankfurt airport — and this moment from Wednesday suddenly came to mind. It was a pure autumn day, October fading into November. Not too cold yet, but that kind of humid air that already calls for a mountain raincoat. I was at Palmense ( the local soccer club), watching the boys train — running around the field. Nothing special, a basic drill, perhap
Nov 1, 20253 min read


My First Dynamic Surgery with the Falcon System - clinical report
My First Dynamic Surgery with the Falcon System by André Chen, DDS, MSc, PhD – IAD Lisbon Introduction Dynamic navigation represents one of the latest frontiers in digital implantology. Unlike static guides, which depend on pre-fabricated templates, dynamic systems combine real-time optical tracking, AI-assisted calibration, and software-guided drilling to allow intraoperative adjustments with sub-millimetric precision. At IAD Lisbon, our commitment to innovation naturally le
Oct 19, 20254 min read


A New Dynamic Era in Implant Dentistry
A New Era in Implant Dentistry The technological position of a clinic is crucial for developing new approaches and procedures. Precision, accuracy, and reduced morbidity for our patients — that’s the true outcome of innovation. Digitalization of Dental Units with AI On Friday, October 17, 2025, we performed our first navigated surgery with the Falcon System at IAD Lisbon. ✨ And so a new era in implant dentistry has begun… It was a truly important day at @IADLisbon — together,
Oct 18, 20254 min read


Understanding the Failure
Understanding the Failure October 2025 – Lisbon Good morning, everyone. It’s a wonderful autumn day in Lisbon. I’ve just dropped the kids...
Oct 9, 20253 min read


The Power of Music in Agreement
The Power of Music in Agreement A long time ago, parliamentary sessions didn’t begin with speeches, documents, or heated arguments. They...
Sep 19, 20252 min read


The Art of Hidden Information in 2D Radiographs
I’m fascinated by how imaging has evolved in the latest years! The innovations are extraordinary, and also the low radiation for 3D...
Sep 18, 20253 min read
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