Modern dental implants succeed at a rate of more than 98%. That outcome is largely set before the day of surgery, at the consultation, where the bone quality is analyzed and the treatment plan takes shape.
“By the time a patient is in the chair, we’ve already made the hard decisions, including where the implant sits, how the bite carries the load, and what the final tooth looks like,” said Dr. Lance Timmerman, DMD, owner of South Seattle Smiles and a Fellow in the International Congress of Oral Implantology. “The scan and the plan do the heavy lifting.”
If you are researching implants in the Seattle area, you are likely already dealing with a problem that needs resolution. Perhaps a denture no longer fits the way it once did, or a tooth has been failing for years. Choosing the right dentist comes down to several factors, including the type of technology used, the consultation process, and who performs the surgery.
This article covers the consultation in detail, including how full-arch and All-on-X cases extend the evaluation. The depth of that evaluation varies enormously from one office to the next, and these questions can help you decide which dentist is right for you.
What a complete dental implant consultation includes
At South Seattle Smiles, the first visit starts with a review of your medical and dental history, then moves to imaging. A 3D cone beam scan maps the nerve pathways and bone around the implant site, and a digital impression system captures an exact model of your teeth and bite. From that data, Dr. Timmerman determines whether the patient is a candidate and what a treatment plan would involve.
After the visit, Dr. Timmerman records a video walking through your own scans and each of your options, and sends it as a private link you can rewatch at home to help you better understand the assessment and make an informed decision.
How dental implants compare with the alternatives
For patients comparing dentists for dental implants, cost is often one of the deciding factors. But understanding the procedures themselves helps narrow the choices, showing what each option replaces and what happens to the bone underneath in the years that follow.
The comparison below shows exactly that, weighing each option against what it replaces and how it affects the bone and surrounding teeth over time.
| Replaces the root | How it stays in | Effect on neighboring teeth | Jawbone over time | Comes out to clean | |
| Dental implant | Yes | Fuses to the jawbone | None; stands on its own | Load maintains bone | No |
| Fixed bridge | No | Cemented to the teeth on either side | Healthy teeth filed down to hold it | Bone under the gap resorbs | No |
| Partial denture | No | Clasps onto remaining teeth | Clasps stress the teeth they grip | Bone resorbs | Yes |
| Full denture | No | Suction, adhesive, or ridge fit | No teeth left to impact | Resorbs, and the fit changes with it | Yes |
| Implant-supported denture / All-on-X | Yes | Fuses to the jawbone | None | Load maintains bone | Depends on design |
Full-arch and All-on-X consultations go even further
Patients replacing a full arch or retiring a denture that no longer fits receive a broader evaluation. An All-on-X assessment reads bone volume across the entire arch and works out how a fixed set of replacement teeth should look and function. Dr. Timmerman weighs the same factors he applies to any full mouth reconstruction, which include the color, shape, and alignment of the teeth being replaced, alongside what the bite needs to do. Teeth that are non-salvageable can be removed and implants can be placed in a single appointment. A healing set of teeth is attached that same day and the permanent set follows about six months later. This is the most involved work the practice does.
“Replacing an entire arch requires a different assessment than replacing one tooth,” said Dr. Timmerman. “The scan determines where there is bone to work with, and the treatment plan follows.”
How to choose an implant dentist in the South Seattle area
Five things worth checking before you book:
- Ask where the surgery happens. Some offices place the implant, then send you elsewhere for the crown. At South Seattle Smiles, implants are placed and restored in-house, start to finish, by the same dentist.
- Look for credentials that take years to earn. Dr. Timmerman holds a Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, both earned through documented casework and hundreds of hours of continuing education.
- Count the years. Dr. Timmerman has practiced since 1998 and has placed and restored implants for decades.
- Check the technology. South Seattle Smiles’ equipment includes a 3D cone beam scanner, digital impressions, a soft tissue laser, and all-digital X-rays.
- Ask about the cosmetic result. Dr. Timmerman spent his early career focused on porcelain veneers and smile makeovers, a background that shapes how his implant and full-arch cases look.
Why the consultation is worth booking sooner rather than later
Many patients arrive after years of putting off dental work. When that happens, bone can change, affecting the options a patient has to work with. In some cases, the jaw resorbs where teeth are missing, without symptoms, and implants depend on the bone that remains. Dr. Timmerman routinely treats significant bone loss, so waiting rarely disqualifies a patient from dental implant procedures, but it often adds a graft and several months to plan a procedure that may have been simpler a year earlier.
“I have been placing and restoring implants for decades, and the moment that changes everything for a patient is when they finally understand their own case,” said Dr. Timmerman. “My roots are in cosmetic dentistry, so the standard for a finished implant case is a result that looks natural.”
If you have been weighing implants, whether for a single tooth or a full arch, the next step is a complete evaluation. Request a consultation at South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, and expect to leave with a customized plan and detailed understanding of the options available to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at a dental implant consultation?
It varies from one practice to another, but many complete dental implant consultations include a review of your medical and dental history plus imaging: a 3D cone beam scan of your jaw and digital impressions of your teeth and bite. At South Seattle Smiles it also ends with a personal video explaining your scans and options, recorded by Dr. Timmerman and sent as a private link.
How do I know if I am a candidate for All-on-4 or All-on-X implants?
Candidates are usually patients losing most of an arch, or long-time denture wearers who want fixed teeth. The deciding factors are bone volume and overall health, both read from a 3D scan and history review. In many cases, a healing set of fixed teeth can go in on the day of surgery, so patients leave with a working set of teeth the same day.
How long do dental implants take from consultation to finished teeth?
A single implant typically heals for three to six months before the final crown is attached. Full-arch All-on-X cases often follow a similar timeline, with a healing set of teeth ready on the day of the surgery and the permanent set about six months later.
