The Whole Tooth Dental Podcast

If one can save thousands of dollars, why not travel and make a vacation out of it?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Sometimes timing of treatment complicates things.  People with crooked teeth sometimes lose one, and have an implant or a bridge created, and later on decide to have orthodontics (braces).  Did the previous treatment (the bridge) eliminate braces as an option?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains

Nobody wants to get a tooth pulled.  When it MUST be done, replacing it needs to be considered.  This often means that a bone graft is part of the discussion.

Can it wait to be done later, or must it be done right THEN?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains

Nothing in dentistry lasts forever, but some things last longer than others.  Including root canal therapy.  If previous therapy fails, should it be retreated or extracted?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Many people suffer from TMJ issues, whether minor annoyances to full blown dysfunction.  There are many methods (some debateable or controversial) to help, including orthodontics (braces).  DOES it help?  How?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Sometimes porcelain veneers can be sensitive or hurt.  In offices that are properly trained and experienced, this is a rare situation but it CAN happen anywhere. Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

It is a common misconception that one can only see a dentist if they have insurance.  MOST people do not have insurance and still seek dental care.  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Sometimes while wearing a temporary crown, some stain or discoloration occurs.  Is this a bad sign?  What IS it?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Despite every dentist's best efforts, sensitivity can still happen.  Why?  What can be done to fix it?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

While dental benefits (some people mistakenly call it insurance) help offset costs associated with treatment, some patients want to use dentists that they CHOOSE on their own, not one that is assigned to them.  CAN you?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

The most common frustration with dental implant treatment is the waiting.  Time is the biggest cost with implants, as nothing is immediate.  The marketed "teeth in a day" is truly "temporary teeth in a day", because there is a mandatory wait period.

Why?

Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

A big challenge in any dental office is shade matching.  Teeth are more than a single color and every tooth is different.  While labs CAN get a shade match, a perfect replica is a challenge.  Not impossible, but not easy.  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

The ideal sequence is to perform root canal therapy and THEN place a final restoration (normally a crown).  However, life throws us curves, and sometimes a crown is placed and a root canal is needed AFTERWARDS.  What do you do with the hole in the crown?  Can you just plug it?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains....

When using dental benefits (sometimes called insurance) the out of pocket costs become more important than the total.  If it costs YOU less, is that the better deal? Seattle dentist Dr Lance Timmerman explains how superior treatment (dental implants) can actually be CHEAPER than a dental bridge alternative.

Some patients have a challenge managing family and health care, so they want to combine both.  Can a patient bring their child to their dental appointment?  Dr Lance Timmerman talks about how it works in HIS office.

Patients often get confused, and it is understandable when so many dentists can't agree with diagnosing or treating multiple issues.  A common one: why is a teeth cleaning so expensive at one office and virtually nothing at another (insurance pays the entire thing)?

Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

Mentioned in this episode:

Beat the Heart Attack Gene.  Most people think that they are not at risk of a heart attack if they control their cholesterol and blood pressure, but they aren’t aware of other major risk factors. The good news is that with the right information and strategies, heart attacks are preventable—even if heart disease runs in the family.

A porcelain veneer smile makeover can change a life.  Is this service limited to certain people, or can ANYONE get one? Dr Lance Timmerman explains....

Root canal therapy gets a bad rap.  Most patients only hear about them when something goes wrong (or their friend waited too long to fix it).  But what IS a root canal?  Dr Lance Timmerman explains.

As the population ages and is living longer, they are keeping more of their teeth than in the past, including wisdom teeth.  Does that mean people can/should keep them? Dr Lance Timmerman explains

It used to be standard to pull premolars when seeking orthodontic (braces) treatment.  Is that still common?  Why?

Dr Lance Timmerman in Tukwila explains.