:: Welcome to Our Seattle Dental Practice
November 23, 2009
When Dr Timmerman tells people this, people are shocked. They have always been told the opposite, that bridges are what most people get, implants are for the rich and famous. How can this be true?
There are two aspects to consider:Â
- Longevity
- 3rd party contribution
In a 30 year span, a dental bridge may need to be replaced 2 or 3 times (or more). If a cavity forms on a tooth that is holding the bridge in place, the bridge must be replaced. Sometimes a bigger bridge is needed, as one of the supporting teeth must NOW be extracted, or is so weak from being worked on repeatedly so another tooth is used. The 3 tooth bridge is now 4 or 5.
In that same 30 year span, the implant likely has had no issues. Once placed, no more periodontal disease (gum disease), no cavities. Dental implants are among the longest lasting procedures in dentistry.
If dental insurance is a factor, there may be less out of pocket than a bridge. Consider a bridge that costs $3500, or an implant for $3500 (these fees are for illustration. OUR fees are WAY higher…! ☺ )
If your annual benefit is $1000, there will be $2500 out of pocket for the bridge. With an implant, one could place the implant and use $1000 in one benefit plan period, then place the abutment and crown in the next benefit period and use another $1000, meaning there is only $1500 out of pocket for the implant service. When talking money, implants are MUCH more affordable.
When deciding on treatment, there are many things to consider. An informed decision helps avoid buyers remorse. If you would like to know more or discuss your treatment options, see our main site www.DrTimmerman.com or call 206-241-5533!
November 18, 2009
Dr Timmerman is excited to offer digital dental impressions by Cadent. The iTero machine allows for impression taking WITHOUT gooey gunk. No gagging, but the best part is the accuracy.
iTero captures the prep, emails the info, creates CAD/CAM models which are sent to the dental lab for final crown/bridge/veneer fabrication.
The accuracy is unsurpassed. Most crowns are placed permanently in the mouth with NO adjustments. From a patient comfort perspective, wouldn’t it be nice to come in and mere minutes later be on the road again? All dental impression materials distort to a degree and talented labs must compensate. With iTero, there is no need to compensate and the accuracy and fit are simply a given.
If you would like the best that dentistry has to offer, call 206-241-5533!
November 17, 2009
Quite often people ask for “No Prep Veneers”. When the case allows, the results can be fantastic.
However, most cases do not allow this. Most people have teeth that overlap to a certain degree, or are flared out and would need to be brought in. If tooth structure is located in an area where none should be, then it would need to be removed to create the ideal appearance. This eliminates the case from “No Prep” consideration.
This is not a bad thing. “Prep” veneers do not weaken teeth, and usually are stronger than if the teeth were not restored at all. The result is both beautiful AND strong.
September 21, 2009
One of the greatest challenges Dr Timmerman (and all dentists) have is to restore a single front tooth. Matching the color of one front tooth can be difficult, as the shade on one side of the tooth is often different than the other side. Surface texture, if not done well, can be too smooth, so when the light interacts with the smile (like during a cocktail party or other social gathering) the appearance is less than desireable. Material selection is important as well, since light reacts with different mediums in a variety of ways. Old fashioned crowns are made with a metal substructure that can block light and make a tooth look opaque and lifeless.
Here is an example of a single front tooth restored. Can YOU tell which is fake?
An enhanced smile does not always mean restoring multiple teeth, especially if one is satisfied with how everything looks in the first place! If you would like to know more, call 206-241-5533 today for a free consultation!
August 6, 2009
As a consultant to other websites, I get to answer questions about dentistry. I will try to share some of these questions and answers here on my blog as well.
It was asked what material is best for a crown. There are many decisions involved in deciding what material is best. If I could, I would do gold for all of them, but hip hop artists are not really who I treat the most…
Today, people want teeth that look like teeth. It used to be that people needed to choose between esthetics or strength, as the “pretty” crowns were not strong. Today, that is not the case. There are many products on the market that are VERY lifelike and VERY strong, so the decision is easy.
I prefer to place an all ceramic material that is bonded in place and has enough translucency to match the adjacent teeth. I won’t say what brand or what material exactly, as products change all the time and I try to stay current on what is best.
Rest assured, what is used in this office is the best money can buy!
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