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!
Dr Timmerman takes infection control VERY seriously. In fact, when he designed his office, he made sure that the sterilization center exceeded the minimum standards. It is THAT important.
Each set of instruments are placed in packages that change color when exposed to high heat and each package is opened when the patient arrives. Testing strips are sent to a lab each week to be sure the equipment is in top working order.
If infection control is important to YOU, then you have found the right office!
Many of Dr Timmerman’s patients spend time south during the cold part of the year and return for the beautiful Seattle summers. In an effort to be frugal, sometimes they go “south of the border” for more involved dental care, assuming the quality is the same but at a discount. Honestly, if a person can get the same thing for less money they would be foolish not to.
However, more often than not, they get what they paid for. Many will beam with pride on what top quality dentistry was performed, but all they truly can report on is how they look and feel. Without a dental education, patients are not qualified to critique the quality.
How things FEEL is not a very good indicator for quality or health. Like high blood pressure, people often feel fine when in fact they are at high risk for stroke or heart attack. Often radiographic (x-ray) examination will reveal very poor quality dental work, yet everything may FEEL great. The long term prognosis may be catastrophic while the short term situation feels fine.
Insurance companies usually have no benefits for foreign providers, and should something go wrong there is no recourse.
This is not to say foreign dentists are not capable. Far from it, as there have been SOME cases that look great (in fact, not all American dentists are wonderful too). But there ARE certain standards that are regulated here that are not elsewhere. Infection control is a gamble outside our borders sometimes.
By all means, patients should do what they feel is best for them and their family. But they should do so in an informed manner and not be upset if they find out their gamble did not pay off.
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!
Sleep apnea is a growing concern. As our awareness increases, and as the media shares celebrity deaths from apnea, we learn more about its causes and its treatment.
Dr Timmerman offers the TAP appliance to help deal with sleep apnea. This removable device positions the lower jaw in a forward position to allow a better airway while one sleeps, similar to airway management with CPR. It is adjustable, so a person can fine tune the position based on comfort and effects.
Quite often, medical insurance pays the lions share of the cost.
If you would like to know more, call 206-241-5533!
Digital X-rays allow dentists to catch decay much earlier than traditional methods. With images the size of computer screens, no longer is Dr Timmerman “squinting” to determine if you have a cavity. The sensors are so sensitive that they don’t need as much radiation to be useful, which is GREAT news for you!
Dr Timmerman offers digital xrays to his patients to help them understand their condition so they can make good choices about their health.
Dr Timmerman is excited to offer a non invasive procedure to help his patients treat dental disease. Icon is a way to heal cavities before they get bigger, and there is no drilling.
When patients seek care, sometimes they want a specialist. Someone that has extra training and certified by an organization that has set the standard of care.
What does that really mean? Some dentists limit themselves to only a certain procedure. Does that make them a specialist?
There are 4 specialties in Dentistry:
Orthodontics – moving teeth
Periodontics – tissues supporting teeth
Endodontics – root canal therapy
Oral Maxillofacial Surgery – surgeries in the mouth
Prosthodontics – crown and bridgework
Pediatrics – dentistry for children
There is NO specialty for cosmetic dentistry. There is NO specialty for TMJ. There is NO specialty for implants. If someone only does root canals, but did not go to specialty school, are they a specialist? Truthfully, no.
Patients need to do their homework. If they want a dental implant and want an implant specialist, they may have a hard time. Some periodontists and oral surgeons will tell them that THEY are specialists in implants, and they truly DO have training for this, they are not completely honest. When a dentist says they are a cosmetic specialist, they aren’t being honest. They may be very good at cosmetics, they may even do cosmetics exclusively, but they are not specialists.
Ultimately, patients need to be treated by someone that is capable and someone they can trust.
Many offices dumb down terms in hopes that patients will understand our advice. Is it possible that in an effort to be clear, we (as a profession) devalue what it is exactly that we are doing? We are finding that 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 it can create an inflammatory response from your body. Chronic inflammation can affect your entire 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.
Dr Timmerman feels very strongly about this. If you have periodontal disease, a gritty toothpaste cleaning will only be offered in ADDITION to therapy, not as a replacement.
Dr Timmerman strives to make the dental visit as comfortable as possible. Modern technology has made it so that even numbing the teeth can be a non-issue, since computerization has taken control. The key to truly pain free injections is The Wand®!
Dr Timmerman has a special pharmacy fabricate a gel that makes the initial injection pain free. The Wand® then takes over. The computer with the Wand® controls the rate of fluid introduced, so it is slower than the human hand can offer.
If the “freezing” of the teeth is done correctly, dental care is easy and almost pleasant. If you feel that your dental care is not as comfortable as you would like, call 206-241-5533!
