October 29th, 2009 Dr. Timmerman
At the end of 2005, Dr Timmerman moved his Renton Dental practice 2 miles to a much more accessible location. The Tukwila location was more functional and more convenient, but it IS a new city and the extra stop light made the drive an extra 4 minutes for some.
The drive is worth it. With all of the modern conveniences that the new office offers those 2 miles are an afterthought. Dr Timmerman is a family dentist and can treat the entire family, not just adults seeking cosmetic enhancements.
If you are in Renton and want a family dental practice that can “offer just a little more”, call 206-241-5533
Tags: cosmetic dentist, dental crowns, dental hygiene, family dentist, general dentist, implant dentist, sedation dentist, sleep dentist, white fillings
Posted in General Dentistry | 2 Comments »
March 5th, 2009 Dr. Timmerman
We are finding that in our efforts (the dental profession) to help non dentists understand what we are doing, we have created misunderstandings. The truth is, there is no such thing as a “deep cleaning” in a dental office.
A dental office is either cleaning teeth (polishing them up, removing stains, etc) or providing periodontal therapy. This therapy is often called a “deep cleaning” but that isn’t really what is done. The goal here is to remove what is called the bio-film from below the gum line. The bio film is a collection of plaque and bacteria and can create an inflammatory response from your body. Chronic inflammation can affect your whole body, and periodontal disease destroys bone around the teeth. If left untreated, you will lose teeth. If left untreated, you could die (I know, it sounds like an exaggeration, but just ask Whoopi Goldberg)
The process for periodontal therapy WILL make a person’s teeth clean, and the process IS deeper than a “regular” cleaning, to call it a “deep cleaning” is not truly accurate…
Sometimes we get patients that will request a “regular” cleaning when a “deep cleaning” was recommended. While it would seem logical that you could request that, the laws are clear that the dental health care provider cannot violate standard of care, and a patient is not capable to waive the standard of care. Legal precedent has been set, and if a dentist has diagnosed gum disease, therapy must be performed even if a patient requests otherwise.
It is similar to a physician diagnosing an infection in your lungs. He cannot simply give an aromatherapy candle and ignore the infection. The patient has the right to decline care and leave, but the doctor cannot ignore the infection.
Tags: dental hygiene, periodontal disease, periodontist, seattle dentist, teeth cleaning
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »