Wednesday, November 27, 2013

When to Replace Your Complete Dentures

When to Replace Your Complete Dentures
Complete dentures are a set of dentures that are made following the removal of all the patient’s teeth. Dentures are usually placed in the mouth 8-12 weeks after the teeth are removed, as this is when the gum tissue has healed enough. Dr. David Bishop begins preparing these dentures once the gum tissue is healing properly. Once complete, the patient has a brand new set of dentures that let them eat the foods they want with teeth that require only minimal care.
 
For patients who want to have a temporary solution before their final dentures are ready, we provide a temporary set of dentures here at Bishop & Bishop dental. They are not as secure while talking and eating as the complete dentures, but are great for this in between period.
 
Once patients have their complete dentures, they are advised to re-visit Bishop & Bishop Dental to look at the dentures and determine if and when they need to be replaced. While complete dentures are stable and can last a long time, we do recommend replacing them ideally about every five years on average.
 
If you are ready to get fitted for complete dentures, visit our practice in Silver Spring, MD.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Endodontics / Root Canals

Endodontics / Root Canals


Tooth infections can occur at any time, even with patients who take excellent care of their teeth. Many infections get deep into the nerves of the tooth’s root, which causes severe pain and great sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. If you can’t eat ice cream or drink hot coffee without feeling intense pain, you could be suffering from an infection of the root of your tooth. In this case, a root canal performed in our Silver Springs, MD practice is necessary.


Here at Bishop Dental, we provide root canal procedures to help get rid of the infection. The process begins with Dr. David Bishop numbing the area with a local anesthetic, then drilling a small hole into the tooth to reach the canal. This lets us clean out the infection, before filling the hole with a material called gutta percha. This material is temporary, so you will need to return to our office in about 2-3 weeks to be fitted for a crown.


After having a root canal done, the tooth is dead. While it helps save the structure of the tooth, a crown needs to be fitted to protect it from cracking or breaking.


Contact our office today to learn more about all of our endodontic procedures available.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Implants / Mini Implants

Implants / Mini Implants


If you are missing teeth, you might be experiencing difficulty eating your favorite foods, not to mention the fact that it isn’t aesthetically pleasing. While it can be a pain to have missing teeth, there is a permanent solution in the form of implants. Here at Bishop Dental in Silver Spring, MD we provide regular implants and mini implants. Each implant provides a permanent restoration to replace one or multiple missing teeth.


Our dentist, David Bishop, provides traditional and mini implants. Traditional implants involve placing a titanium post deep into the jaw bone of the missing tooth. Once it has healed, a crown is placed over the post, allowing you to chew as you normally would. The crown is custom-made to fit your smile, so it looks and feels natural. It will be the same basic color, size, and shape of the surrounding teeth.


Mini dental implants are done in a similar way, though they take less time. The post used in mini implants is about half the size and doesn’t go in as far into the bone, so it heals much more quickly. This is done in a single step, as opposed to months. Once the post is in, the crown is placed over it right here in our office.


Either direction you go, your implants provide a permanent answer to your missing teeth problem, but should also be cared far like your other teeth. Always brush and floss the implant twice a day.