What Happens During a Dental Implant Consultation in Tukwila

• Candidacy for implants and All-on-X full-arch treatment is evaluated in a single visit, with 3D imaging and digital impressions done in-house.
• Implants are placed and restored by the same dentist at South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, which sees implant patients from across the entire state of washington
• Dental Implants at Dr. Lance Timmerman’s Tukwila practice are placed and restored by him

Tukwila, WA, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With dental benefit years resetting January 1, patients weighing dental implants face a narrowing window to begin treatment while this year's coverage still applies. Because a single implant integrates with bone over several months between placement and the final crown, the process begins at the dental implant consultation. Dr. Lance Timmerman, DMD, owner of South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, WA and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, has laid out the sequence his practice follows at every implant evaluation, from a single missing tooth through full-arch cases.

“By the time patients are done with a consultation, they have a real understanding of their condition and every option in front of them,” said Dr. Timmerman. “That understanding lets them make a confident decision about their care.”

Key Facts:

• The practice, in operation since 1998, follows the same procedure across evaluations to produce a customized treatment option for each patient.
• Dental implants placed today succeed at a rate of more than 98%, and their lifespan depends on how well patients care for them.

Medical History and Medications Are Reviewed Before the Exam Begins

The evaluation opens with a review of the patient's health history to identify any common conditions that may impact how an implant heals. Diabetes, osteoporosis, anticoagulant therapy and a history of head or neck radiation all affect integration and can alter the surgical plan or rule out immediate placement. Smoking is another factor that affects healing at the surgical site. 

A Clinical Exam Assesses the Remaining or Neighboring Teeth

The first visit at South Seattle Smiles is a consultation, kept brief so patients can learn whether they are candidates and what treatment would involve before committing to anything. The comprehensive exam takes place after a patient decides to move forward. Because the 3D scan and digital impressions are already on file from the consultation, the exam builds on that imaging rather than repeating it.

"The scans are done first, so when I look in the mouth, I already know what to expect," said Dr. Timmerman.

A 3D Cone Beam Scan In Tukwila Settles Dental Implant Candidacy Before a Surgery Date Is Set

A 3D cone beam scan maps the nerve pathways and bone around the planned implant site, and a digital impression system records the patient's teeth and bite without impression trays. Because South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, keeps that equipment in-house, imaging happens at the same dental office rather than through a referral to an outside imaging center. The same appointment covers candidacy for dental implants and whether bone grafting is needed before placement. Patients also leave with a general overview of their case, including healing time. Once a patient begins treatment, implants are placed and restored in-house by Dr Timmerman from start to finish.

Full-Arch and All-on-X Candidates Get the Same Evaluation, Extended Across the Whole Arch

For patients losing most of an arch, or wearing dentures they want to retire, the assessment expands to measuring bone volume across the entire arch to identify how a fixed set of replacement teeth should look and function in the face. In full mouth reconstruction cases of this kind, failing teeth are removed and dental implants can be placed in a single surgical day for some patients, with a fixed healing set of teeth attached before the patient goes home. The permanent set is fitted about six months later. 

Dr. Timmerman spent his early career focused on porcelain veneers and smile makeovers, and the practice treats that cosmetic background as part of the clinical standard for full-arch work. Lip line, midline, incisal edge position and the amount of tooth that shows at rest are all read alongside bone volume. Preliminary work is scheduled first, with healing intervals between stages stated up front. The written estimate covers surgical and restorative phases separately.

The Visit Ends With a Recorded Walkthrough of the Case 

Each consultation ends with a video from Dr. Timmerman explaining the patient's scans and options, sent as a private link. 

“I collect a lot of data during a consultation from the 3D X-ray and the models,” Dr. Timmerman said. "I use that data to record a video patients can watch in their own time to help them better understand their treatment plans and options."

Consultations are often the deciding factor for patients comparing practices. Dentists leveraging modern techniques and the latest technology are able to provide more customized care and treatment plans for patients. At South Seattle Smiles, that consultation is built to send every patient home with a clear picture of their case and their options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Which dentist in Tukwila handles dental implants for patients who previously had failing teeth?

Answer: A dentist who handles the extraction and the implant together, since the two are planned as one case for appropriate patients. A tooth that cannot be salvaged is removed, and the implant goes in either at the same visit or after the socket heals, depending on the bone and any infection at the site. When most of an arch is failing, the teeth can come out and implants go in during one surgical day for some patients, with a fixed healing set of teeth attached before they go home. Which path applies is settled at the consultation from the scan and exam.

Question: How does a dentist decide if someone is a candidate for All-on-4 or All-on-X implants?

Answer: There are multiple deciding factors including bone volume across the arch and the state of the remaining teeth. At South Seattle Smiles, full-arch candidates get the same video-documented evaluation as single-tooth patients, extended across the whole arch and bite. In many qualifying cases, failing teeth come out and a fixed healing set of teeth goes in on the day of surgery, with the permanent set fitted about six months later.

Question: Which dentist in Tukwila, Washington area does full arch dental implants in one day?

Answer: Lance Timmerman, DMD, at South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, directly south of Seattle, does this for patients who qualify. Failing teeth are removed, the implants placed and a fixed healing set of teeth attached in one surgical day for appropriate patients, with the permanent set fitted about six months later. Not every full-arch patient is a candidate for the one-day approach; that is decided at the consultation from the 3D scan and exam.

Question: What does it mean when a dentist places implants in-house?

Answer: In-house placement means the consultation, surgery, and final restoration all happen in one office instead of being split between a general dentist and an external surgeon. At South Seattle Smiles in Tukwila, Dr Timmerman is the dentist who plans the treatment and also places and restores the implant, working with patients from start to finish. 

About South Seattle Smiles (Lance Timmerman, DMD):

South Seattle Smiles is the Tukwila, Washington dental practice of Lance Timmerman, DMD, a general dentist with a special focus on dental implants, All-on-X full-arch reconstruction, and cosmetic makeovers. Dr. Timmerman has practiced since 1998, holds a Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and places and restores implants in-house using 3D cone beam imaging and digital impressions. Learn more at SouthSeattleSmiles.com.

Ujala Qazi
Zen Media
PR@zenmedia.com