Have you or someone you love ever sat down at a favorite restaurant, perused the menu and made a selection not based upon taste, but chewability?
Dr. Tim Casey with Liberty Lake Smile Source sees patients like this often, people who have inspired him to take part in research to offer even better fixed-denture technology.
“Implants are truly life-changing for people who cannot chew well,” Dr. Casey said.
While he offers the latest in traditional denture and implant technology out of his state-of-the-art new office at 22011 E. Country Vista Drive, Suite 201, Dr. Casey was motivated to participate in FDA research based out of Spokane that recently approved a new system called Trefoil that is already revolutionizing the implant process for patients around the world.
“We’ve had All-On-4 for over a decade now,” Dr. Casey said of previous technology that provided a full, fixed dental implant. “But with Trefoil, what used to take four months to get a final fixed denture we can now do in 24 hours with amazing aesthetics. It is also a more affordable answer to the All-On-4 system.”
The Trefoil technology helps patients with periodontal disease or tooth loss. The lower teeth are extracted, and three implants are installed in its place. The process begins with a consultation in Dr. Casey’s Liberty Lake office and continues in coordination with an oral surgeon.
“Patient feedback has been amazing,” he said. “Usually, the barriers to this type of treatment have been fear of pain, cost and the length of time from start to finish, up to four months. The Trefoil system answers all those concerns, meaning patients have their final beautiful smile within 24 hours. Personally, I’m always amazed at how the patients say they really don’t experience any pain, either mild discomfort or surprisingly — even to me — no pain whatsoever.”
By participating in the Trefoil research and approval process, Liberty Lake Smile Source is on the front edge of offering this technology to patients. Dr. Casey said it has allowed people for whom the All-On-4 option was too expensive to afford a permanent, fixed solution. Getting started is easy.
“Schedule a consultation to see if you are a candidate, especially if you are a patient who has considered All-On-4 in the past and are looking for a more affordable — and much more immediate — option,” he said.
Dr. Casey said the Trefoil technology isn’t for every patient, but it adds an affordable fixed denture option to his list of implant services.
NOTE: A version of this article first appeared in the 2020 Liberty Lake Yearbook.
