No doubt you’ve heard the expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Dr. Corbitt and her team are dedicated to helping their patients practice prevention in order to avoid the cure. In particular, we want to help you and your family prevent tooth decay so you can avoid needing a filling or even a dental crown to repair the cavity. We’d like to offer you some tips on how you can prevent cavities.
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Do you ever hear the words, “Stop snoring!” in the middle of the night? That nightly racket may be more than merely an annoying sound that wakes the person sleeping one pillow over. Snoring is one of the chief symptoms of a more serious condition called sleep apnea. In Fort Worth, sleep apnea sufferers know they can rely on the knowledge and treatment of general dentist Dr. Renee Corbitt.
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Most of the time, foods are associated with staining or discoloring your teeth. However, there are some foods that can actually help you have a whiter and brighter smile. Dr. Renee Corbitt, the Fort Worth dentist, wants you to know that in addition to effective brushing and flossing—as well as regular checkups with Dr. Corbitt and her staff—a healthy and well-balanced diet can help you enjoy a whiter smile and healthier gums. Let’s take a look at five foods that contribute to a white smile.
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The Fort Worth dentist, Renee Corbitt, DDS, recommends patients give up all forms of tobacco including smokeless varieties in order to achieve and maintain the optimal level of oral health. Many patients choose smokeless tobacco believing it to be a healthier option compared to cigarettes, cigars, and other forms of smoked tobacco. However, smokeless tobacco is just as likely as smoking to cause oral cancer and other dental and physical health concerns. Dr. Corbittt and her Fort Worth dental team recommend patients consider giving up all forms of tobacco to achieve superior dental health. Call to find out more about the damage caused by smokeless tobacco or to schedule your appointment today.
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The weather is becoming warmer, flowers are blossoming and the Texas Rangers are up to bat! All signs of spring. Another reliable sign is the spring cleaning going on around the neighborhood. At the dental practice of Dr. Renee Corbitt, we’re doing some spring cleaning, too. With regular exams and cleanings, Dr. Corbitt and her team of dental hygienists and assistants are helping people in and around Ft. Worth, TX, have clean, healthy and beautiful smiles.
Exams and cleanings, also known as dental checkups, are at the foundation of good oral health. The American Dental Association recommends that adults and children have regular dental exams and cleaning every six months. At your checkup we’ll clean and polish your teeth, remove plaque and tartar, examine your teeth for decay—especially those deeply grooved molars where decay-causing bacteria tend to hide—inspect your gums for signs of gum disease, and take x-rays when necessary.
With regularly scheduled exams and cleanings, Dr. Corbitt and her staff are better able to recognize changes in your oral health. We can compare the condition of your oral health from one visit to the next and react to changes that are concerning. For example, when we notice the first signs of decay, we are able to repair the tooth with a filling while the cavity is still small. Likewise, gum disease has an early stage called gingivitis and an advanced stage called periodontitis. We’d much rather find gum disease and treat its symptoms sooner rather than later. Regular exams and cleanings allow us to do that.
At each checkup, we also screen your entire oral cavity for signs of oral cancer. Every year, some 42,000 people are diagnosed with this cancer. Once again, if found early oral cancer is treatable.
If it’s time for you and the other members of your family to have dental exams and cleanings, then call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX. We also conveniently serves patients in Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
Root Canal. For some people, just reading those words can send chills down their spines and spur thoughts of pain and discomfort. Actually, however, root canal is designed to relieve the pain of an infected tooth, and with modern dental techniques, the procedure involves hardly any discomfort at all. With root canal treatment, Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, eliminates pain and prevents the possibility of needing to have your tooth extracted.
To understand the root canal procedure, let’s first examine the structure of a tooth. Enamel is a tooth’s hard, outer layer. The middle layer is called dentin and is more sensitive. At the core of each tooth is the dental, or soft, pulp. This pulp chamber and its connected root canals house the tooth’s nerve and lymph tissue as well as blood vessels. If the barrier to a tooth’s pulp is breached, whether by severe decay or an injury that causes a deep crack, then this pulp may be exposed to infection-causing bacteria. When this happens, the pain begins as does the threat of spreading infection.
Other than pain—and there isn’t always pain with an infected tooth—the symptoms of a tooth in need of root canal therapy include discoloration of the tooth, swelling of the surrounding gum and soft tissue, and obvious signs of infection on an x-ray.
During a root canal, Dr. Corbitt anesthetizes the tooth and surrounding tissue and then accesses the pulp chamber, completely clearing it of infection and any debris. The space is then filled with an antibacterial, bio-compatible material and the chamber is sealed. To strengthen the tooth and protect it from further damage, Dr. Corbitt will likely want to place a crown on the tooth. With proper brushing and flossing, you’re newly restored tooth can last a lifetime.
If you have been experiencing any of the uncomfortable symptoms of an infected tooth, then call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, today and schedule an appointment to determine whether or not a root canal is necessary. Delaying treatment puts your tooth and your health at risk. We conveniently serves patients in Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
If you wish that you could have a smile that’s as beautiful as a movie star’s, then you don’t need to wish any longer. You and Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, can make it happen with porcelain veneers.
Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin sheaths of dental porcelain that are adhesively bonded to the facial side of the teeth in your smile zone. As such, they conceal a number of smile flaws including:
And while porcelain veneers are a decidedly cosmetic dentistry treatment, they also fill a preventive role in that they shield the teeth they cover from further damage.
The first step in your porcelain veneer procedure is for you and Dr. Corbitt to meet and discuss your smile goals. In designing your veneers, you’ll want to consider the size, shape and color of your teeth, as well as the features of your mouth and face. Then, we’ll make an impression of your teeth that will be sent to a cosmetic dental technician, along with Dr. Corbitt’s unique specifications that will make your porcelain veneers perfect for you.
To prepare your teeth for veneers, Dr. Corbitt will need to remove a small amount of your teeth’s surface enamel. This allows the veneers to lay flush with your other teeth and to adhere more securely to the teeth they cover. While your permanent veneers are fabricated, you may need to wear temporaries. Then, when your custom designed veneers are ready, Dr. Corbitt will bond them to your teeth and carefully trim and polish them for an impeccable finish.
If you’d like to have a movie star’s smile, then call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, and ask for a consultation to learn more about porcelain veneers. Our office also conveniently serves patients in Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
Are you ever jolted out of your sleep by someone shouting the words, “Stop snoring”? Well, if it’s any comfort, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans hear these words every night. Snoring is more than an alarm for you and an annoyance for your bed partner. It can be a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea. Dr. Renee Corbitt and her team in Ft. Worth, TX, have been diagnosing sleep apnea in patients for many years, and working with patients’ primary care physicians to help them get back to sleeping peacefully through the night.
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that causes cessation of breathing during sleep. These moments when breathing stops may be brief, but their consequences can be great. Sleep apnea may occur hundreds of times during the night, adding up to a significant amount of lost sleep. Studies have shown that this nightly routine causes daytime exhaustion, poor concentration at work or at school, decreased motor coordination—which may be the cause of automobile accidents—and headaches. In addition, sleep apnea may have harmful effects on your overall health. These include:
How is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Traditionally, sleep apnea has been treated with a CPAP—continuous positive airway pressure—machine. Today, however, there are viable CPAP alternatives that are more comfortable and equally effective. For obstructive airway sleep apnea, there are oral appliances that can be worn nightly. These appliances are similar to mouth guards and hold the jaw and tongue forward to facilitate clear breathing throughout the night. Dr. Corbitt can conduct a sleep apnea screening appointment, and may suggest an overnight sleep study at a sleep clinic for a more precise diagnosis.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you’re hearing the words, “Stop snoring,” then call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, for a sleep apnea screening. Our office also conveniently serves patients in Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
During childhood, there are some ailments that are simply unavoidable—runny noses, coughs, upset tummies and the like. There is one ailment, however, that is completely avoidable. With good oral hygiene at home and regular visits to the dentist, your child does not need to have cavities. And did you know that dental cavities are among the most common childhood ailments? Dr. Renee Corbitt in Fort Worth, TX, practices children’s dentistry with an equal emphasis on prevention and comfort.
Your child’s oral health actually begins at home with you. When those first little teeth appear, believe it or not they need cleaning. Use a soft toothbrush and pea-sized amount of non-fluoride toothpaste to gently clean the teeth. Of course, as your child grows and more teeth appear, more care is required.
Children’s Dentistry with Dr. Corbitt
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children visit a pediatric dentist by the time they are one year old. When you bring your children to see Dr. Corbitt, we do our best to make their visit as fun, friendly and non-frightening as possible.
It’s important to bring your children to the dentist twice a year for regular checkups. At these visits, Dr. Corbitt will examine their teeth for any signs of decay. Children’s teeth are susceptible to decay, unfortunately, because kids may not be the most diligent when it comes to brushing. Consequently, the sugar in food remains on their teeth and turns into acid, which causes tooth decay.
However, tooth decay is preventable with proper brushing and flossing, as well as regular visits to the dentist. Along with cleanings, Dr. Corbitt may recommend fluoride treatments to strengthen your children’s teeth. Dental sealants are another common treatment that “seal” the deep grooves in your children’s teeth, thereby preventing decay. Sealants can last for years, but do require monitoring.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If it’s time for your children to see the dentist, call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt. We serve adult and child patients in Ft. Worth, TX, as well as the surrounding communities of Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
Does your smile have just a little something you’d like to fix? You know—like a small chip, a somewhat oddly shaped tooth or an uneven space between teeth. If the answer is yes, then cosmetic bonding may be the quick and easy fix you need. Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, artfully uses tooth-colored cosmetic bonding to restore her patients’ smiles quickly and painlessly.
In addition to the fixes mentioned above, cosmetic bonding may also be the solution for teeth that are abnormally worn or discolored, as well as for teeth that need dental fillings. In any case, the first step is a consultation with Dr. Corbitt, who will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums in order to gauge your overall oral health. Then, if cosmetic bonding is appropriate for your circumstance, the process can begin as soon as you’re ready.
Cosmetic Bonding in One Visit
Whether you are having cosmetic bonding to repair a chipped tooth or fill a tooth that has a cavity, the process can usually be completed in one visit. First, Dr. Corbitt will isolate the tooth or teeth needing repair in order to prevent your saliva from interfering with the bonding. Then, a gentle phosphoric acid solution is applied that roughs up the surface of the tooth so the bonding material adheres better. Finally, Dr. Corbitt applies the tooth-colored bonding material to your tooth in stages, carefully molding and shaping the material each step of the way for a completely natural looking finish. The bonding material is then rapidly hardened with a special curing light.
Caring for Teeth with Cosmetic Bonding
As with natural teeth, teeth that have cosmetic bonding need regular brushing and flossing. Additionally, you will need to take care not to bite down on hard objects with teeth that have cosmetic bonding. With a bit of tender loving care, your cosmetic bonding can last for years.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you would like to learn more about cosmetic bonding, call the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt in Ft. Worth, TX, today. Our office also conveniently serves patients in Arlington, Richland Hills, Forest Hill and Haltom City and throughout the DFW Metroplex.
