The Castleberry Center Blog

More than likely, you’ve heard the term ‘root canal,’ but do you know what the procedure entails? You may have even heard horror stories about the treatment process, but there’s nothing like receiving detailed information from an expert. As you read on, your dentist provides valuable information about root canal therapy so you can be comfortable about the entire restoration process.

(more…)

With the end of 2018 just around the corner, it’s incredibly important to take advantage of your insurance benefits. One of the most overlooked benefits include preventive dental exams and cleanings, which is a shame considering how important oral health is to overall health. If you wouldn’t miss a physical exam from your general doctor, why miss an oral exam from a Vintage Park dentist?

Today, we’ll go over the ins and outs of in-network and out-of-network providers and how you can make the most of your insurance benefits before they reset in 2019!

(more…)

Braces are a safe, effective solution to the problem of misaligned teeth. But traditional braces suffer from shortcomings that make many people reluctant to wear them. This is why modern Invisalign aligners are such a popular option. They provide all the benefits of alignment therapy without the nagging concerns about comfort and personal appearance.

(more…)

3-D is all the rage these days in movie theaters and other entertainment venues. But did you know that this advanced imaging technology is also giving a dentist in Vintage Park exciting new tools for treating patients? Now dental implants, extractions, root canals, bone grafts and other procedures can be performed with a level of precision and comfort impossible just a few years ago.

Not Your Parent’s X-Ray Machine

X-rays revolutionized the world of medicine when they were first discovered in 1895. Dentists began widespread use of x-ray machines in the 1950s. The technology is still used in almost every medical and dental clinic in the Western world. Millions of people across the globe have enjoyed better care as a result.

Nonetheless, traditional x-ray machines have one serious limitation. They can only form 2-D images of the patient’s teeth and bones. Modern CT cone beam scanning devices overcome this problem by sending imaging signals in a fan or cone-shaped pattern through the area to be scanned. The advantages of this approach are substantial. They include:

• The ability to measure not only bone shape and condition but also thickness. This is a crucial factor which dentists must consider when designing crowns, implants and bridges. Cone beam scanning also allows the dentist to judge the condition of the patient’s soft tissues.
• Patient comfort. The person receiving the scan need only relax while the test is being performed. He or she may sit or stand, depending on their preference. There is no pain or discomfort.
• Cone beam scanning uses only a minuscule amount of x-rays. The process takes less than a minute and results are obtained within 10 to 15 minutes.
• Patient empowerment. A 3-D image is easier for most dental patients to understand, helping them to be a more active and informed part of their healthcare process.

Preparing for Your Cone Beam Scan

The cone beam scanning process is very similar to traditional x-rays. You should remove all jewelry and other metal accessories, including earrings, dentures, glasses, hearing devices, and metal hairpins or bows. As with any medical scan, women who are or think they may be pregnant should alert the dentist or scanning technician ahead of time.

Healthcare experts expect cone beam scanners to replace older x-ray machines in the years to come. For now, however, only a limited number of dentistry offices have access to these devices. You may want to ask your dentist if his or her office has made this helpful upgrade.

Dental technology is progressing all the time. New tools and techniques are making care quicker, more comfortable and more effective. This is good news for all of us.

If it has been a while since you last saw your dentist, then there’s no time like the present to make an appointment. Regular cleanings and checkups are essential to enjoying lifelong dental health. The effort you put forth today will give you plenty of reason to smile in the months and years to come.

About the Author

Dr. Derek Castleberry earned his dental degree from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry. He spent several years serving Navy and Marine Corps personnel as a military dentist before setting up his own practice. You can reach his office online or by calling (281) 320-9600.

When it comes to having the smile you’ve always wanted, it’s worth it to spend some time researching which cosmetic procedures will work the best for your situation. What works beautifully for one person may not work so well for another, but rest assured that there’s a solution for every type of cosmetic issue. Porcelain veneers are fantastic for a wide variety of flaws, but they can’t fix everything. Learn more below about how porcelain veneers work and which problem they can (and can’t) fix. If veneers aren’t right for you, you’ll also learn about other solutions that might be!

(more…)

There is a lot of hype surrounding dental implants, and rightly so. For many people, they are the best tooth replacement option that modern dentistry has to offer. Still, you might hesitate to hop on the implant bandwagon because you don’t want to have just any old material placed in your jawbone. Let’s talk about what exactly dental implants and their restorations are made of and why these materials work so well with the human body.

(more…)

Welcome to our blog! As your dentist in Vintage Park, we love to stay in touch with our patients, and in the future, this blog will have useful updates about what our practice is doing and provide you with handy tips on how to care for your oral health. For now, though, we thought we’d take a moment to introduce our practice and the services we offer.

(more…)