Instituto Riva is a dental and facial harmonization clinic located at Avenida Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, 675, Edificio Palacio do Cafe, 7 andar, Enseada do Sua, Vitoria, Espirito Santo. The institute was founded in 2007 by Dra. Catarina do Prado Riva (CRO-ES 4160) and relocated to its current landmark headquarters in February 2022. Dra. Catarina holds a dentistry degree from UFES (Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo), a specialist title in orthodontics from ABO (2007), certifications in sleep dentistry from Bauru (2018) and laser therapy from ABO Passo Fundo (2017), and is a Master's candidate in orthodontics at UNIARARAS. She is trilingual in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The institute employs a team of 9 specialist dental professionals covering all dental specialties, has treated over 5,500 patients across its history, and operates the Excelencia em Saude (Health Excellence) recognized program, having been featured in Folha Vitoria. The institute functions simultaneously as a premium clinical practice and a professional continuing education school, with two dedicated auditoriums offering postgraduate courses in dentistry and facial aesthetic medicine for dental and medical professionals. Instituto Riva is positioned under the slogan Beleza que vai alem da estetica (Beauty that goes beyond aesthetics) and operates exclusively as a private-pay practice.
Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry
Ortodontia (orthodontics) is the foundational specialty of Dra. Catarina Riva and the discipline around which Instituto Riva was originally built in 2007. Fixed metallic and aesthetic bracket systems, functional jaw orthopedics, and clear aligner orthodontics (Invisalign-type systems) are all available, with treatment planning informed by Dra. Catarina's specialist training and MSc-level research background in orthodontics. Ortopedia funcional dos maxilares (functional jaw orthopedics) addresses skeletal discrepancies in growing patients using functional appliances that redirect jaw growth during the active developmental phase. Odontologia do sono (sleep dentistry) — for which Dra. Catarina holds a certification from Bauru — addresses obstructive sleep apnea and snoring through custom mandibular advancement devices and other intraoral sleep appliances, including for special cases in children where pediatric sleep-disordered breathing is identified during routine orthodontic evaluation.
Facial Harmonization
Harmonizacao orofacial (orofacial harmonization) forms the second pillar of Instituto Riva's clinical identity, complementing and extending the dental aesthetic offering. The facial harmonization menu includes dermal fillers (preenchedores) for lip augmentation, perioral contouring, cheekbone definition, and nasolabial fold correction; collagen biostimulators (bioestimuladores de colageno) for gradual volumization and skin quality improvement; PDO thread lifting (fios de PDO) for non-surgical facial repositioning and skin tightening; and HIFU (ultrassom microfocado / high-intensity focused ultrasound) for non-invasive facial lifting and tissue tightening. Dentists performing facial harmonization bring an anatomically rigorous background to this work — precise knowledge of facial musculature, vascular anatomy, and nerve pathways that informs safe injection technique and aesthetic outcomes aligned with the patient's natural facial structure. Instituto Riva's educational function in these specialties reflects the depth of clinical expertise brought to these procedures in patient care.
Dental Implants and Oral Rehabilitation
Implantes dentarios (dental implants) and high-complexity oral rehabilitation are core clinical capabilities within the 9-specialist team at Instituto Riva. Single implants replace individual missing teeth with titanium fixtures integrated into the jawbone and supporting ceramic crowns indistinguishable from the natural dentition. Complex rehabilitation cases — involving multiple implants, bone grafting, orthognathic surgery coordination, or full-arch prosthetic reconstruction — benefit from the breadth of specialist expertise available within a single clinical team, enabling coordinated planning across the surgical, prosthetic, orthodontic, and periodontic elements of these cases without external referrals. The in-house team depth is a significant clinical advantage for patients requiring multidisciplinary treatment sequences.
Aesthetic Dentistry and Veneers
Lentes de contato dentarias (dental contact lenses) and porcelain veneers address the aesthetic appearance of the smile through ultra-thin ceramic restorations bonded to the tooth surface, correcting color, shape, and surface irregularities with minimal tooth preparation. Teeth whitening brightens the natural tooth color through peroxide-based treatments. Laser therapy (for which Dra. Catarina holds a certification) is applied across clinical contexts including whitening acceleration, soft tissue procedures, and photobiomodulation for healing optimization. Sedacao consciente com oxido nitroso (conscious sedation with nitrous oxide) is available for anxious patients, ensuring comfortable and fear-free treatment delivery across all dental procedures.
Specialist Dentistry
Endodontia (root canal treatment), periodontia (periodontics), odontopediatria (pediatric dentistry), protese (dental prosthetics), and cirurgia ortognatica (orthognathic surgery) complete the specialist clinical scope of Instituto Riva. Disturbios temporomandibulares e dor orofacial (TMJ dysfunction and orofacial pain management) — a listed specialty of Dra. Catarina — address joint and muscle conditions contributing to headache, jaw pain, and occlusal symptoms. Care for patients with special needs and disabilities is also available, reflecting a commitment to inclusive access to dental care that extends the institute's patient scope beyond the routine private dental market. The continuing education function of the institute — with two dedicated auditoriums and courses in all the above specialties — means that the clinical team at Instituto Riva is connected to the current research and technique frontier of each specialty offered.
