First Dental Visit & Dental Exam

Your comfort and satisfaction are paramount to us and that starts here, with an explanation of what you can expect at your first dental visit to The Castleberry Center.

• We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your first dentist visit— just call, write, or ask one of our highly trained team members.

Hellos and Paperwork

In the waiting room, you will be greeted by your Patient Service Representative who will get you started on your new patient paperwork.

• Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment so you have time to complete your paperwork.

Initial Comprehensive Exam & X-rays

You will meet with one of our dental health care providers to discuss and review your medical history. If you have any oral health worries or fears, you can feel comfortable sharing them with him or her—your comfort is most important, so we encourage you to ask questions.

Comprehensive New Patient Dental Exam

Your Comprehensive Dental Examination

As a new patient at The Castleberry Center for Aesthetic Dentistry, your first visit will be a detailed 1 ½ hour visit with us. The appointment will include a series of radiographic images (x-rays), HD intra oral photos and a thorough examination from Dr. Castleberry.

Here’s what to expect from your new patient dental exam:

• Your Dental Goals – A discussion of any of your dental concerns, as well as your long-term dental goals.
• Review Your Health History – A review of your health history, concerns, diet, and medications.
• Review Your Dental History
• A Full Mouth Set of Digital X-rays – These x-rays will help us detect what type of cleaning is needed and if periodontal disease (gum disease) is present. They also help detect whether you have any tooth decay, bone loss, cavities, and numerous other dental issues.
• Screening for Oral Cancer– We will check for any signs of oral cancer in your mouth, neck, lips, tongue, throat, and gums.
• A Dental Evaluation – This is where we look over your teeth to evaluate the health of your teeth, including any previous restorative dental work you’ve had, such as fillings, crowns, bridges, or dental implants. We will also examine each of your teeth for any signs of tooth decay, checking the surface of every tooth.
• Screening for Gum Disease– We will evaluate the health of your gums and look for any signs of periodontal diseases, disease of the gums. This exam includes using a tiny measuring stick (periodontal probe) to measure and chart your pocket depths. We will also look for any signs of gum recession and other signs of periodontal disease.
• Intraoral and Extraoral Photos – Lights, camera, pictures! We also take photos of the inside of your mouth, as well as your facial features. Intraoral photos help us examine areas of your mouth and teeth that are otherwise difficult to visualize, like detecting cavities or cracks that an x-ray can’t often reveal. Extraoral photos are great to see your before and after pictures should you chose to have various dental procedures, like Invisalign porcelain veneers, teeth whitening and other cosmetic dental services.

As you can see, there’s actually a lot involved in your 1.5-hour dental exam. Once you’ve completed your examination, we’ll have a good assessment of the overall health of your teeth and gums. After we determine what type of treatment you need, our hygienist will begin your appropriate teeth cleaning if time permits.

Why Are Dental X-rays Important?

Dr. Castleberry and his team want to provide the best possible dental care to our patients, but a visual examination doesn't tell us everything we need to know. Thanks to dental X-rays, Dr. Castleberry and his team can accurately diagnose and treat dental problems early before they become more serious.

Valuable Diagnostic Tool

X-rays, also called radiographs, give us the ability to see between and inside your teeth. We can also view the tip of your roots and bone underneath your gums – places not normally visible to the naked eye.

Radiographs are used to check for cavities and evaluate the extent of decay. They also show the roots of the teeth as well as, the presence of any cysts, abscesses, and other masses. Radiographs also show congenitally missing and impacted teeth such as wisdom teeth. Radiographs show the presence and extent of bone loss due to periodontal disease.

How Often Are X-rays Needed?

Everyone's oral health varies, and as a result, Dr. Castleberry and his team will evaluate your needs and recommend an X-ray schedule accordingly. If you're a new patient, we advise taking a full series of X-rays and panoramic image to assess your current oral health state and use this as a baseline going forward. As you continue your regular checkup visits, fewer X-rays are needed to monitor the status of your oral health.

Dental X-rays Safety

Dr. Castleberry is very empathetic to patients concern regarding radiation exposure. Here at The Castleberry Center, we use digital X-rays, which exposes our patient to very minimal radiation.

You literally get more radiation from the sun than from our state-of-the-art dental digital X-rays. To help minimize radiation, we provide every patient with a lead apron and a thyroid collar. Always let us know if you are pregnant, although x-rays are imperative to a thorough examination, we do not wish to expose and radiation unless necessary.

Dental Insurance Accepted

At The Castleberry Center, excellent dentistry also comes at an excellent value. We accept all PPO dental insurance plans, and military insurance plans. We also accept Medicaid & Chip for children and patients that are 6 months - 20 years of age. Please note that there are a variety of Medicare plans that offer supplemental insurances. While we do work with these plans, the coverage is often limited to preventive care. Our team will work with you to provide accurate estimates of your out-of-pocket costs while making sure we’re maximizing your coverage at every visit. We’ll even handle the entire claims process from start to finish! With us, saving on your care will always be a breeze. To learn how we can use your particular plan, just give us a call today.

Learn about Medicaid & CHIP

Financing Available

Do you currently NOT have insurance or require a treatment that isn’t covered by your plan? With CareCredit, Lending Club, Greensky Financing, and United Medical Credit, you can sign up for a low-to-no-interest payment plan that will break up the cost of your care in a way that works for your budget. They have a variety of plans to choose from, and you can apply today simply by clicking on the button below. If you would like any help with the application process, feel free to give us a call.

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