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Paul Ravin, DDS, operates a family dentistry practice in Bristol, Pennsylvania, where he practices general and cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our services include:
Hygiene Checkup
During your checkup, the hygienist will perform an exam, take x-rays if needed, and clean your teeth. The x-rays and exam help the hygienist and doctor determine if a more thorough cleaning is needed. This thorough cleaning is known as scaling and root planing.
Dental Cleaning
A dental cleaning is what one typically receives at a 6-month checkup. It is appropriate for those who maintain excellent oral hygiene and have minimal gum pocket depths around their teeth.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is usually recommended when one needs more than a typical cleaning. This may be due to lack of adequate home oral hygiene and deeper gum pocket depths around teeth.
This procedure is usually divided into 4 office visits. Anesthesia is used since the cleaning will attempt to get to the depth of the deeper pockets in order to remove calculus (tartar) and bacteria.
In some cases, antibiotic therapy may be used along with the scaling and root planing. Antibiotic therapy may enhance treatment. The patient is then usually put on a 3-month recall regimen in order to maintain bone and gum health.
Silver Fillings
Dental amalgam or silver fillings have been around for more than 150 years. Amalgam is composed of silver, tin, copper, mercury, and zinc. Amalgam fillings are relatively inexpensive, durable, and time-tested.
The downfall of silver fillings is that they blacken over time and can give teeth a gray appearance. In addition, they do not strengthen the tooth.
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White Fillings
Composite, resin, or white fillings have been around for 2 decades. Composite fillings are composed of an organic polymer known as bisphenol-a-glcidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA) and inorganic particles such as quartz, borosilicate glass, and lithium aluminum silicate.
They have the advantage of requiring a more conservative tooth preparation, (less drilling required), can have a strengthening effect on the tooth, and are very aesthetic.
Composite fillings are used to restore front teeth. Some downfalls to composite fillings are increased sensitivity following treatment. They are highly susceptible to decay and usually cost more than amalgam fillings.
Extractions
Extractions are usually a last resort for people with a lot of dental problems. We do extractions on many people ranging from children with orthodontic cases to people needing dentures.
If a tooth has a lot of decay, deep enough to reach the nerve or is easily broken, one option is an extraction. Some just find it more cost effective especially when no insurance is involved. Many difficult cases need specialist care and that cannot be determined until an x-ray is taken and the tooth is examined by the dentist.
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