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.

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.

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.

 

Veneers

Veneers

At Bishop Dental in Silver Springs, MD, we provide many treatments for helping to correct patient’s smiles, including veneers. Veneers, made of porcelain or laminates, are extremely thin and cover the front of the teeth. Patients often come to our office looking to correct the visual appearance of their teeth, like discoloration or chipped teeth. Veneers are made custom in our office to match your natural teeth.

We start the veneer process by preparing the tooth to be covered, which includes removing a small amount of the enamel to make room for the veneer. We may also reshape the tooth before making an impression of it. After that is complete, the veneer is made in a lab, which takes about 1-2 weeks. Once it is ready, we bond it to your tooth with permanent cement.

There are a variety of reasons you might need dental veneers, including the following:

1) Discoloration – Your tooth may be discolored from smoking, drinking dark liquids or following a root canal without a crown placed.

2) Chips or Cracks – Teeth that are chipped or cracked can also be covered with a veneer.

3) Gaps or Spaces – If your teeth have gaps and you don’t want braces, you can get veneers to cover the gaps.

If you think veneers might be the right solution for you, give us a call at 301- 608-9270.

Pediatrics

Pediatrics

Here at Bishop & Bishop Dental, we maintain complete pediatric dentistry services that are designed to accomplish two very important objectives.  The first is to keep children’s smiles healthy with gentle, friendly and custom catered care. This is vital as children’s teeth are especially susceptible to tooth decay and developmental issues that should be addressed as early as possible.  Our second objective as pediatric dentists is to inspire small children to take care of their teeth, help them understand the importance of good dental hygiene every day, and show them that our office is not a place to fear, but a place to feel welcome and comfortable.

Is your child due for his or her pediatric dental checkup or cleaning? Make an appointment with us at Bishop & Bishop Dental.

Radiography

Radiography

Radiography, or more colloquially, x-raying, is an important part of the dental exam, diagnostic and preventative care capabilities. We use dental radiography to gain special insight into the health and structure of your teeth, oral cavity, throat and even areas of the sinus. Radiography also allows us to plan procedures with greater accuracy, and ensure that recently completed dental work is successful.

Dental radiography is safe and essential to providing you with excellent dental care.  To learn more about how it will benefit you during your next procedure, contact us directly. 

 

Sedation Dentistry

We do our utmost to provide you with a comfortable, relaxing dental experience, from the moment you enter Bishop & Bishop Dental, through to the end of your visit. Even though our patients always feel welcome, we understand that some dental procedures can cause patients to feel uneasy or phobic. For these patients, as well as those patients who would like to complete multiple procedures in a single visit, we provide complete sedation dentistry services.

We offer both oral conscious sedation, which is administered through a one or two-dose oral medication, and nitrous oxide sedation, which you are likely familiar with as laughing gas. Both of these sedation dentistry methods allow you to remain conscious and communicative, however you will experience your procedure as nothing more than a pleasant and relaxing dream. You’ll experience no pain, apprehension or unpleasant sensations for the duration of your visit.
Sedation dentistry is safe and effective for many of our patients.  If you’d like to learn how it can benefit you during your next procedure at Bishop & Bishop Dental, please call us directly.