New Year, New Website!!

Happy New Year to all of our wonderful clients!! We are thrilled to announce that we have a BRAND NEW website! http://germantowndentalcare.com/ is now bright, simplified and easy to navigate. We are constantly working to keep our customers happy and help make their lives simpler and we feel that our new website does just that!  Be sure to check it out for yourself and tell your friends!

Keep smiling out there,

Germantown Dental Care

Check Out Our Groupon Deal!! Limited Time Offer!

Here at Germantown Dental Care we have some great specials going on right now through Groupon!!
You Can Choose From Three Options:

• $59 for a Dental exam, cleaning and full mouth x-rays ($$427 value)

• $149 for a Dental exam, cleaning, full mouth x-rays and in-office Boost whitening ($$1,127 value)

• $129 for in-office Boost whitening ($$700 value)

More about Us!

What services does your business offer and what makes your business stand out from the competition?
We really care about what you want and will listen to your concerns. We offer all general dental services, fillings, cleanings, gum treatment, root canals, crowns, bridges, whitening, veneers, nitrous oxide, digital x-rays (60% less radiation), high magnification camera to spot early problems.

What was the inspiration to start or run this business?
I've always wanted to be a doctor and I like to help people in need. Learning almost anything in the medical field came easily to me. Considering that I love problem-solving on a mechanical basis, and love working with my hands, and enjoy a challenge, dentistry was a perfect fit.

What do you love most about your job?
I love starting with a person whose mouth is in terrible shape, and they're discouraged. I will then work with that person for however long it takes to restore good oral health and help them to achieve that which they thought was impossible.

What is the best reaction you've ever gotten from a customer?
Quite often I will get big hug and genuine tears of joy when I complete a complex case or one that has taken a long time. It's the most rewarding thing, and is what keeps me going.

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Did You Know? Toothaches

Did you know? Simple toothaches can often be relieved by rinsing the mouth to clear it of debris and other matter. Sometimes, a toothache can be caused or aggravated by a piece of debris lodged between the tooth and another tooth. Avoid placing an aspirin between your tooth and gum to relieve pain, because the dissolving aspirin can actually harm your gum tissue.

Broken, Fractured, or Displaced Tooth
A broken, fractured or displaced tooth is usually not a cause for alarm, as long as decisive, quick action is taken.

If the tooth has been knocked out, try to place the tooth back in its socket while waiting to see your dentist. First, rinse the mouth of any blood or other debris and place a cold cloth or compress on the cheek near the injury. This will keep down swelling.

If you cannot locate the tooth back in its socket, hold the dislocated tooth by the crown - not the root. Next, place it in a container of warm milk, saline or the victim's own saliva and keep it in the solution until you arrive at the emergency room or dentist's office.

For a fractured tooth, it is best to rinse with warm water and again, apply a cold pack or compress. Ibuprofen may be used to help keep down swelling. If the tooth fracture is minor, the tooth can be sanded or if necessary, restored by the dentist if the pulp is not severely damaged.

If a child's primary tooth has been loosened by an injury or an emerging permanent tooth, try getting the child to gently bite down on an apple or piece of caramel; in some cases, the tooth will easily separate from the gum.

If you believe that you have a broken, fractured or displaced tooth, or if you have a toothache that isn't getting better please schedule an appointment to come see us! We are accepting new patients and our compassionate staff will do everything they can to restore your dental health. Visit us online at: http://www.germantowndentalcare.com/

Find and Treat the Actual Source of Tooth Pain to Relieve it

Find and Treat the Actual Source of Tooth Pain to Relieve it

Determining which of your teeth is causing your toothache isn’t always easy — or even if it’s a tooth at all. The pain could be coming from a tooth, the gums, or both. Only a thorough dental examination can pinpoint the exact cause and best course of treatment.

If a decayed tooth is the problem, the pain may be coming from nerves and other tissue deep within the tooth’s pulp. The symptoms could be dull or sharp, constant or intermittent, specific to one area or spread out. It’s even possible for the pain to suddenly subside after a few days. This doesn’t mean the infection has subsided, but rather that the infected nerves have died and no longer transmit pain. Pain can also radiate from the actual source and be felt somewhere else — the pain in your sinuses, for example, could actually originate from an infected back tooth.

If the source is periodontal (gum) disease, the infection has begun in the gum tissues. As they become more inflamed they lose their connectivity with the teeth, bone loss occurs and the gums may “recess” or draw back. This exposes the tooth root, which without the protective cover of the gum tissues becomes highly sensitive to changes in temperature or pressure. As a result you may encounter sharp pain when you eat or drink something hot or cold, or bite down.

Treating these issues will depend on the actual infection source. An infected tooth often requires a root canal treatment to clean out the pulp and root canals of dead or infected tissue, fill them with a special filling, and seal and crown the tooth to prevent future infection. If the source is gum disease, we must manually remove the bacterial plaque causing the disease from all tooth and gum surfaces to stop the infection and allow the gums to heal. In advanced cases, surgical procedures may be necessary to repair damage and encourage new gum and bone growth.

Where dental disease has spread from tooth to gums or vice-versa, you may need treatments for both areas to address your overall condition. Whatever the treatment course, we can put an end to your tooth pain and restore health to your teeth and gums.

If you would like more information on the sources of mouth pain, please contact us today to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Confusing Tooth Pain.”

Do you know? Crowns & Bridges

Crowns & Bridges 

Do you know about crowns & bridges? Have you wondered what they are and when they are used? Check out the information below and find out!

Bridges
Bridges are natural-looking dental appliances that can replace a section of missing teeth. Because they are custom-made, bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of teeth as well as the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth.

Bridges are sometimes referred to as fixed partial dentures, because they are semi-permanent and are bonded to existing teeth or implants. There are several types of fixed dental bridges (cannot be removed), including conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges.  Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, your dentist can only remove a fixed bridge.
Porcelain, gold alloys or combinations of materials are usually used to make bridge appliances. Appliances called implant bridges are attached to an area below the gum tissue, or the bone.

Crowns
Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of a material like porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth. Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal.

At Germantown Dental Care (located in Germantown, MD), we have been providing crown & bridges for patients for many years and have the knowledge and expertise to ensure a smooth procedure. Please visit us at: http://www.germantowndentalcare.com/ for more information, or to set up an appointment with us today!

Preventative Care for Your Teeth: Helpful Tips from Germantown Dental Care!

Good morning,

We hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend! Today we would like to share a little bit with our patients about preventative care.

Both natural teeth and teeth with restorations survive best in an oral environment that is clean and where the intake of harmful foods is controlled. Our program is designed to help prevent new cavities, preserve teeth that have been restored and manage periodontal disease. At the initial visit oral hygiene instructions are reviewed and are reinforced at subsequent recall visits. The following are helpful recommendations:

• Brush your teeth twice a day in a circular motion with a soft bristled toothbrush aimed at the gum.
• Floss every night in an up-and-down motion while keeping the floss in a U-shape and against the tooth surface.
• Avoid smoking.
• Avoid sticky sugary foods.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Use antiseptic and fluoride rinses as directed.
• Have sealants placed on young permanent teeth.

If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment to come see us, please visit our website at: http://www.germantowndentalcare.com/

About Dr. Mansfield

Have you wondered more about the owner of Germantown Dental Care? Well now you can!

Dr. Raymond J. Mansfield was born in Washington DC. He studied at the University of Maryland and received his dental degree in 1976 from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery.  Since graduation, Dr. Mansfield has continued his education in an effort to stay current with the rapidly changing advances in technology in the field of dentistry.  Every year he completes between 15-25 hours of continuing education classes.  This helps to ensure excellent dental care and quality service to all of his Germantown patients.  Dr. Mansfield has also achieved lifetime membership status in the ADA, MSDA and Southern Maryland Dental Society.

In his spare time, Dr. Mansfield enjoys horses. He and his wife and two daughters and their families own a farm where one of his daughters teaches riding, trains horses and competes in various equestrian events.  Dr. Mansfield enjoys working with his hands and spends most of his spare time building, repairing, and generally maintaining the family farm.  If there is any time left, he will be found out on the trails riding. He says it's great because he can spend time with most of his family and grandchildren every day.  

To come meet Dr. Mansfield in person and schedule your next dental appointment, visit: http://www.germantowndentalcare.com/