After growing up in West Seattle, Dr. Peter Yi knew he wanted to become a fixture in the community. In 1993, Dr. Yi opened his dental practice in the vivacious Alaska Junction. He has been practicing in the same location ever since! His friendly and experienced approach to dentistry has earned him the distinction of Seattle Met Top Dentist for the last 10 years. Our patients say that Dr. Yis compassionate, conservative, and calming approach to dental care is what makes him a true dental icon in the West Seattle community.
Dr. Peter Yi received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the prestigious University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1992. Because he is dedicated to learning the latest techniques and advances in dentistry, Dr. Peter Yi currently takes multiple continuing education courses every year. In the spirit of giving back to the dental community, he also mentors University of Washington dental students to help guide and educate the next generation of dentists.
You will see Dr. Peter Yi and his family around West Seattle often! Many of our patients have become his dearest friends. When he is not in the area or practicing dentistry, Dr. Yi values family time with his wife Christie, his college bound daughter, and his soccer enthusiast son.
Dr. Christine Tran has had the opportunity to experience life in places such as California, Hong Kong, and Canada before settling in the state of Washington. Showing exceptional promise, she was one of the select few to be accepted into the University of Southern Californias rigorous accelerated dental program. Dr. Peter Yi selected Dr. Christine Tran to join our dental family in 2017. Her core values and dedication to exceptional dentistry align with our long standing commitment to excellence.
Dr. Christine Trans devotion and determination awarded her with the acceptance into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honorary Dental Society This honor is reserved for the top 10% of the graduating class. Her caring nature also led her to become a member of the Doctors Out To Care at USC. She was able to use this community outreach program to help and guide children to achieve good oral hygiene.
You will meet with your dentist and dental hygienist to talk about your medical history. If you have any oral health worries or fears, you can feel comfortable sharing them with him or heryour comfort is most important, so we encourage you to ask questions.
Next, your dentist will likely examine your teeth, gums, and mouth, and take x-rays and/or panoramic radiographs. Panoramic radiographs help your dentist view unerupted or impacted teeth, as well as sinus conditions, and can detect lesions or fractures in the jaw.
Your dentist will discuss the comprehensive dental treatment plan he or she developed specifically for you. While your dentist will provide the expert guidance you deserve, your questions are always welcome and you always have the final say in your treatment.
Your treatment plan is designed to prevent small issues from getting bigger and more expensive, so it will address the problems that are bothering you now and may also identify others that could impact your long-term oral health.
After youve talked with your dentist, your Patient Service Representative will answer any questions or concerns you might have, including the payment options available and how your dental insurance works.
Dental Implants are a new alternative in tooth replacement. The procedure consists of two stages: placement of a replacement tooth root at your dental specialists office, followed by placement of a tooth replacement (crown and custom abutment) at our office.
In some cases, when there is abundant jawbone tissue and the patient is in good health, some specialists offer immediate loading. In this single-day procedure, the implant and crown are placed simultaneously.
More commonly, the crown is fitted several months after implant placement, allowing the implant time to fuse with the jawbone. In cases involving bone grafting, the graft must first heal for several months before the implant can be placed. The implant must then integrate into the bone for several months before the crown can be adhered to the implant.
Whether you are interested in a simple smile upgrade with teeth whitening, or are looking for more advanced services like tooth replacement with dental implants, or shape, color and size restoration with porcelain veneers, Dr. Peter Yi has the knowledge and expertise to create a customized treatment to meet your needs.
If you are an existing patient and have an emergency when our office is closed, Dr. Peter Yi is available to correspond on nights and weekends. Dr. Yi can consult with you over the phone and help you to determine the most appropriate next step for your condition.
Dental checkups begin with a review of any symptoms you may be experiencing and a visual examination of your teeth and gums. The hygienist will perform a routine cleaning, using special tools to carefully clean your teeth surfaces including the area at the gum line where plaque and tartar form.
During the cleaning, the hygienist will be looking for places where your brushing and flossing techniques may not be effective at removing tartar and plaque. Once the cleaning is complete, the hygienist can give you tips to help you improve your techniques for better between-visit care. After the cleaning, your teeth and gums will be carefully examined for signs of decay and disease, and an oral cancer screening will be performed. You may also have dental x-rays. At the conclusion of your checkup, youll learn about care recommendations to treat decay or other issues.
Yes, having dental x-rays plays a very important role in maintaining oral health throughout your lifetime. Dental x-rays enable the dentist to see the tooth structure thats below the gum line and not visible during visual examinations. Plus, they can provide important information about the health of your jaws as well as detecting issues affecting your tooth roots. Todays dental x-rays are one of the lowest radiation dose studies performed. A routine exam which includes 4 bitewings is about 0.005 mSv, which is less than one day of natural background radiation. It is also about the same amount of radiation exposure from a short airplane flight (~1-2 hours). Proper shielding is also used, which makes the potential risk even lower.
Most American children dont see their family dentist until they are well over 2 years old, far later than is recommended by both dental and medical professionals. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Primary teeth typically begin growing in around 6 months of age.
The best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy is to brush and floss regularly and make sure your child does the same. Also, avoid sugary and sticky snacks including sports drinks, and make sure your child wears a mouthguard when participating in sports.
Dr. Peter Yi knows having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients. There are a number of ways to whiten teeth. The most popular method is an at home custom made tray system that will lighten teeth dramatically. Since tooth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc. Replacement of any restorations will be done after whitening is complete to ensure the new restorations match your new shade.
Our take home whitening kit is a type of professional whitening that uses custom made trays and whitening gel available only through your dentist. We will take impressions of your teeth to make molds used to fabricate whitening trays. These will be given to you to take home along with prescription strength whitening gel to use in the trays. The whitening gel is then placed in trays that fit perfectly over your teeth.
Unlike strips, this process whitens all your natural teeth and may contain ingredients intended to provide maximum comfort. At-home professional tray whitening generally takes ten to 14 days, although you may notice results in as little as three to five days.
Stains on teeth can be classified in one of two ways: extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic stains appear on the surface of your teeth. Intrinsic stains live between the microcracks in your enamel and deep within your dentin (the layer of your tooth underneath your enamel). Whitening toothpastes and mouth rinses may be able to remove some of the extrinsic stains on your teeth. But only teeth whitening agents can remove the stubborn extrinsic stains and the unsightly intrinsic stains that cause your teeth to look discolored.
Keep in mind though that whitening is not permanent. A touch-up maybe needed every several months, and more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine. The touch- up is a process in which you utilize your custom trays and prescription strength gel to re-whiten the teeth. The touch-up will almost certainly take less time than the original whitening process.