June 6th, 2010 admin
This may become a permanent link on the site, but this article should be well understood. Dr Timmerman often sees people that have sought to save money by leaving the country, only to have work done that had unnecessary risks involved. Poor sterilization, inferior skills and simply poor results are not uncommon.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284269/Going-foreign-dentist-search-Bollywood-smile-Beware-.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Why you should be wary of going to a foreign dentist in search of that Bollywood smile
By Tariq Idris
Last updated at 12:39 AM on 6th June 2010
My first patient of the day was a middle- aged woman whose face was totally misshapen. She had been on holiday to India to have dental implants. The procedure had gone wrong but her fears had been dismissed despite the pain.
On her return, she had been admitted to Manchester’s Royal Infirmary where doctors confirmed she was suffering from a blood infection.
Her implants had to be removed, as did some of the jaw bone, and she was warned that should she ever want implants again she would need a bone graft.
The poor woman could not face any more expensive procedures and I had to fit her with false teeth.
Shining example: Actress Davinia Taylor shows off her home-grown smile with Tariq Idris
Her story is a stark warning of the dangers that patients face when they travel abroad for what they believe is a bargain.
Unfortunately she is not the first such case I have seen - nor is she likely to be the last. That is why I want to warn patients about the risks involved. Weigh up everything before undergoing treatment abroad.
I invite anyone planning to go abroad for expensive treatments such as implants, crowns or veneers to get a second opinion from me.
I have worked in the industry for 15 years and my patients have included former Hollyoaks actress Davinia Taylor, singer Charlotte Church and England footballer Steven Gerrard.
I am happy to assess whether patients’ treatment plans are correct and whether they could save money by staying in this country. They can even scan in X-rays and send reports online.
But why the sudden desire to go abroad? Let me explain.
Since the new contract for NHS dentists was introduced in 2006, people are finding it harder to locate an NHS dentist: only 26.9 million people - about half the population - saw a dentist in the two years following the reforms, a drop of 1.2 million from the two previous years.
Dentists are no longer paid different fees for each treatment. They get lump sums instead, meaning they find it less cost-effective to carry out difficult, time-consuming procedures.
Recent statistics have revealed that the number of treatments such as crowns, bridges and dentures has plummeted by 57 per cent since the system was introduced.
Meanwhile, the number of patients having teeth extracted in hospital has risen by a third from 135,000 in 2003/4 to 175,000 between 2007/8.
How awful is that in 21st Century Britain? There is also a rise in the number having implants - artificial titanium tooth roots - inserted into the gums to support crowns, bridges and dentures.
There has been a culture shift away from dentures. People are keen to look and feel younger and more attractive. Even 20 years ago, a pensioner might have accepted that they would end up wearing dentures; nowadays that’s something most try to resist.
However, implants are expensive. We have 28 teeth, excluding wisdoms, and costs can vary from £2,000 to £2,500 a tooth. I have seen treatment plans in this country approaching £100,000.
But that is because about half of all patients wanting implants need bone augmentation. In the most severe cases, bone is removed from the hip and implanted in the jaw.
And that is why many people go abroad. They do not want dentures and fear the costs in this country will be prohibitive. Yet often the service abroad is no cheaper.
Foreign clinics may market an implant in basic terms as costing about £400 to £500. But that is not the whole picture.
Firstly, that price does not include the tooth or any bone graft - just the screw.
Secondly, patients often do not actually need the number of implants or the grafting for which they have been quoted. Thanks to modern science and research, we now know that you do not need 14 implants to replace a top jaw - but a smaller number of pegs with a bridge between them.
You might need only six implants to support a whole jaw and sometimes you can get away with as few as four.
People may be persuaded to have teeth extracted unnecessarily and more implants than they need, both of which push up the cost. They are often told they need bone grafting when they may not necessarily.
A handful of patients I have already given a second opinion to have said: ‘Wow. I don’t need a bone graft? Forget the money. This is saving me from going through a pretty horrendous operation.’
The Hollywood smile is a combination of veneers, crowns and bridges, for which you can pay anywhere between £8,000 and £20,000.
But often the treatments recommended abroad are not appropriate, for example if the patient has a gum problem. Dentists here would not advise veneers or crowns until that was fixed. Otherwise the patient would end up with more problems and could even lose all their teeth.
There is also a potentially serious problem if the veneer is not fitted properly - it will not look good and could trap plaque and cause gum inflammation. And if the tooth is not drilled correctly there is a real risk of damaging the nerve.
Then you have the costs of booking a flight, taking time off work and dealing with any problems on your return.
The key thing to remember is that whether you plump for Eastern Europe or Asia, you are not covered by British regulations.
Here we have a system where you can go back to your dentist, which is regulated by a governing body, or complain to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
And, ironically, about half the patients I have seen who have had procedures abroad would have paid the same, or even less, in the UK.
www.free2ndopinion.co.uk
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284269/Going-foreign-dentist-search-Bollywood-smile-Beware-.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0q6mNR6VH
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry | 2 Comments »
March 11th, 2010 admin
Dr Lance Timmerman of Tukwila, WA has added OraVerse® to his practice. This helps reduce the amount of time that you are numb, so you can get back to your normal life !
If you are like most people, you HATE that numb feeling. With OraVerse® you only have to endure it for half the time.
If you would like to know more, call 26-241-5533.
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry | Comments Off
March 9th, 2010 admin
It is always fun to participate in a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. Closing spaces between teeth, called a diastema, can be a challenge if not planned right.
This is an example of a case that went very well, as our patient did a great job with their home care to ensure that everything well perfectly.
If you would like a free smile evaluation call 206-241-5533 today!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, porcelain veneers, smile makeover | Comments Off
February 15th, 2010 admin
Dr Timmerman is asked often to simply do 6 anterior veneers, or do a little at a time (2 this year, 2 next year, etc). Depending on the goal, this is usually NOT a good idea. After hundreds of smiles, there has NEVER been a case where a person only shows 6 teeth. When doing veneers, people usually want a whiter smile. As shown in the photo, this is a bad idea.
Porcelain veneers are hand crafted, custom made restorations unique to each case. Even if the same lab is told to create the veneers from the same material, the shades will not match if done “a little at a time”. This is similar to buying carpet for a small area years after the initial install. While the brand is the same, it won’t match. Bolts of fabric are the same. If close counts or is “good enough” then sequenced treatment would work, but most people want the best result for this level of investment.
Experienced dentists that do a lot of cosmetics know that 6 is the magic number. The number NOT to do. Dentists that say otherwise are revealing that they don’t do smile makeovers very often or have no training in veneers.
It all comes down to goals. If you are trying to make your smile the best, then doing 6 and doing a few at a time will NOT do the trick.
If you would like to know what can be done for YOUR smile, call 206-241-5533!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, porcelain veneers | Comments Off
February 2nd, 2010 admin
Many people have seen the marketing efforts of companies that make “No Prep” porcelain veneers, or in many cases minimal prep. These CAN be done very well and look nice, but many clinicians use this material or technique in ways that it was not designed.
When choosing a dentist, be sure to ask for examples of THEIR work and not that of the company. All too often, Dr Timmerman is replacing OTHER dentists attempts at a cosmetic upgrade.
Be sure THIS doesn’t happen to you!
Call 206-241-5533 to see what can be done for YOU!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, porcelain veneers, smile makeover | 1 Comment »
January 20th, 2010 admin
It may seem odd that your dentist offers Botox, until you really think about it. There are many advantages to consider:
- Dentists give dozens of injections every day, so using needles is nothing new
- Dentists entire careers are focused on head and neck anatomy so their understanding of where to put the material is as good as anyone
- Dentists don’t delegate this (you won’t have a staff member administer). Many other practitioners have their staff place Botox, so you aren’t getting the benefit of the Dr doing the procedure.
- Often the Botox can be done at the end of a cleaning appointment, so convenience is maximized.
- Dentists use “laughing gas” and can use it for those that are scared of the needle.
While the therapeutic use is the main reason for the administration, there often is a side benefit. Using Botox for TMJ pain has helped many people and an unintended benefit is realized. Eliminate the pain, look younger.
What more could you want?
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, TMJ | 1 Comment »
January 4th, 2010 admin
There are many products out on the market to get white teeth. Some are done at home, some in the dental office. Zoom! is a product for the dental office. It does a nice job, but does have some challenges.
In Dr Timmerman’s office, this style of whitening is a mid level approach. His other methods are either cheaper (simple take home gels) or more effective (Deep Bleaching®).
To find out what would work best for you, call 206-241-5533! Be sure to ask about current whitening specials!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry | 4 Comments »
November 25th, 2009 admin
Dr Timmerman doesn’t make bold statements often, so when he does, there is a reason.
There are two factors to consider:
- Quality of final restoration
- Convenience for the patient
The messy goop for impressions is never perfect. Moisture from the mouth affects the setting of the goop, the goop runs down your throat making you gag and perhaps remove the material too soon, the material distorts (and the list goes on). With this distorted impression, plaster is poured inside to make a replica of the teeth. The plaster expands or shrinks during the setting, hopefully in the opposite direction of the messy goop (goop expanded? lets hope the plaster shrinks, but not TOO much…). With this, the lab technician creates the restoration.
iTero by Cadent eliminates these issues. “No goop” means “no gag”. Moisture is not an issue with a picture. The image resolution is accurate to an error of 10 microns. That’s MICRONS. Now when the lab technician creates their artwork, things just plain FIT.
Convenience? The information is sent electronically to the lab while the patient is still IN THE CHAIR. Normally after the patient has their temporary crown created, they are dismissed and the impressions are disinfected and shipped to the lab. This is done by a courier to a local lab or delivery service (UPS or FedEx, etc) to an out of state lab (or China. You should ask where…). This takes time.
iTero restorations theoretically could be created on the same day as the preparation appointment (this would depend on how busy the lab is, pre arranged priority service, etc). The iTero restoration COULD be done in a matter of days and not weeks.
Is it the same day? No. But would you prefer one appointment for 2-2.5 hours, or 2 appointments, the first only 30 minutes long and the second 15-20 minutes?
What kind of service and treatment do YOU want? Most would prefer what professionals would request. Ask a dentist (that has done their homework) which method would they seek for themselves. A strong majority would prefer iTero (nothing is ever 100%, especially in dentistry).
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Crowns | Comments Off
November 18th, 2009 admin
Dr Timmerman is always trying to serve his patients better. As technology improves, he is always looking to add to his services. Rarely is the decision based on making HIS job easier, but always if the technology benefits the patient.
One such advancement is iTero by Cadent. This machine can take an impression of teeth WITHOUT the gooey stuff that runs down your throat!
The data is sent electronically to a lab and models are created. These models are sent to another lab for fabrication of the crown or bridge.
The benefit is super accuracy… The images produce models that are many times more accurate than impression materials (I could quote a stat, but it would be made up…!). Routinely, the restorations simply drop in place with virtually ZERO adjustments. With impression materials, it is common to adjust the contacts and the bite when cementing the final crown. Never say never, but it is RARE to adjust a crown when iTero is used.
If you would like a restoration that is strong, beautiful and built to last, call 206-241-5533 to learn more!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Crowns, General Dentistry | 1 Comment »
November 10th, 2009 admin
The internet is allowing consumers to not only learn HOW to restore their smiles, but with what MATERIALS too! Quite often by brand.
Ivoclar Vivadent has a crown material called eMax. It comes in two flavors, e.MAx and e.Max HT for more translucency. Of these, there is CAD, ZirCAD, press and ZirPress. Each variation has its advantages, so Dr Timmerman decides what is best for each case.
Rest assured, if you are seeking the latest in dental materials, Dr Timmerman offers it!
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Crowns, General Dentistry | Comments Off
