Our Mission: At Kerst & Caskey Family Dentistry, our team is dedicated to providing an uniquely high level of care to all patients. By taking the time to get to know your specific dental needs, we can create a comfortable, relaxing experience focused on improving and maintaining your oral health. When you become a patient of Drs. Kerst or Caskey, you become part of the family.
Everyone has different needs and desires for their own oral health. During our examinations, your dentist will review your medical and dental history. After getting to know you and your oral health goals, we will compile all the information necessary to help you achieve your goals. Dr. Kerst and Dr. Caskey pride themselves on staying up to date with the latest techniques to help you understand your oral health needs.
Dr. Kerst and Dr. Caskey combine art with science to provide patients a smile they can be proud of. By providing cosmetic services through a variety of services, including fillings, crowns, veneers, and whitening, our patients feel confident in the looks and feel of their teeth. Dr. Caskey has been a go-to dentist in the region for nearly four decades for patients with complex need. With the addition of Dr. Kerst, our two dentists team up to provide dentistry that combines the beauty of nature with the latest dental technology.
After your examination, your dentist will recommend seeing one of our hygienists for a cleaning. The criteria used to determine the type of cleaning that best suits you is dependent upon your gum and alveolar bone health. By regularly visiting a dental professional, as well as brushing and flossing, you can help prevent periodontal, or gum, disease. A regular cleaning typically takes one visit, while a deep cleaning can take more than one visit, depending on your specific needs. Regardless of how long it has been, or if this is your first cleaning or your hundredth, we are happy to see you and assist you in achieving optimal oral health!
Cavities, or holes, are made in your teeth by bacteria that feed on sugar. If caught early, we can stop a cavity from forming with a thin layer of filling material, called a sealant. Sealants are mostly done on children that have deep pits or grooves in their teeth that likely catch food. By allowing teeth to fully form and become functional, we hope to prevent the growth of cavities. However, if the bacteria that create cavities dig deeply into dentin, or the soft layer of teeth, Dr. Kerst or Dr. Caskey will remove the bacteria and weakened tooth, replacing it with a tooth-colored filling material.
Crowns, or caps, and bridges are necessary when a tooth needs to be rebuilt for functional and/or aesthetic purposes. Crowns may be necessary if a cavity destroys 50% or more tooth structure, if a tooth forms improperly, or if the function of a tooth becomes compromised. Dr. Kerst and Dr. Caskey will work with you to comfortably make models and records of your teeth, both before and after preparing a tooth for a crown. This way, a dental lab can create a crown to fit your tooth and protect it from breaking further. The best way to care for crowns and bridges is with regular dental cleanings, brushing, and flossing.
Implants are small screws that are placed in bone in order to replace a missing tooth. Implant technology has become sophisticated and greatly improved the function and aesthetics of patients who may be missing a tooth, after requiring the extraction of a tooth, or to provide support for dentures. Dr. Kerst and Dr. Caskey work closely with the top specialists in the area to plan the proper placement and function of implants.
Veneers are similar to crowns, made of porcelain or resin. Veneers are used to improve the esthetics of front teeth, requiring the removal of less tooth structure than a crown. They can be used to improve the aesthetics and function of teeth that have been chipped, broken, discolored, or that may be smaller than normal.
Dentistry for kids is different from dentistry for adults in a number of ways. From the time a child gets their first tooth, it is important they become established in a dental home. By creating an environment where children are comfortable, we can take the necessary steps to keep baby teeth healthy and functional. Since children are prone to cavities, it is critical that they receive the necessary care on a regular basis. We love seeing kids and babies of all ages at Kerst & Caskey Family Dentistry!
For patients requiring a different style of care due to an intellectual or other disability, we work to provide a safe place. We understand that every patient is unique, which means their specific needs are unique. The sights and sounds of dentistry can often lead to sensory overload, and if your loved one needs special attention, we will do everything we can to care for them in the way that best suits them. Our team is trained to treat patients of all capacities, and we work closely with parents and caregivers to educate and assist in caring for your loved ones.
When the nerve within a tooth becomes infected, due to a fracture or the bacteria that cause a cavity, a root canal may be necessary. A root canal involves putting the tooth to sleep, removing the infected pulp (or nerve) of the tooth, and replacing the nerve with a filling material that seals the root of the tooth off from other bacteria. After sealing the tooth from the bottom, a core filling and crown are placed on top of the tooth in order to protect the tooth from breaking or becoming reinfected.
Dentures are removable acrylic appliances made to provide aesthetics and function to patients who have lost some, or all, teeth. There are many types of dentures that can be made depending on patients specific needs and desires. Learning to use dentures can be like learning to ride a bike, requiring practice and patience.
The treatment of orofacial pain and temporomandibular joint disorder is quite complex. LSUSD is one of two schools in the country with an orofacial pain continuum and the management of TMJ disorders as a core part of the curriculum. While TMD can never truly be cured, our doctors, both LSUSD graduates, have received training in treating complex problems surrounding patients may experience.
Life happens. Dr. Kerst and Dr. Caskey are trained in treating patients who have a dental emergency, whether it is from a cavity, dental trauma, or a tooth that breaks on the day of your wedding. We do our best to make time for patients who need our services on an emergency basis, since that is what we would want for our own family.
For 37 years, Dr. Caskey has provided dental care to the residents of the Ark-La-Tex area, with the goal of delivering the highest level of care possible. Since entering private practice in 1983, he has made it his mission to treat each patient as though they are family, with compassion and empathy.
Since becoming a dentist, Dr. Caskey has been a member of the American Dental Association, serving in a variety of roles, with over two decades on the editorial board of the Louisiana Dental Association Journal. He has spent much of his career advocating for patients on a state level. Dr. Caskey was inducted into the Pierre Fauchard Academy, where he remains an active Fellow.
When he is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Caskey spends his time staying active with a number of activities. As a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church, he plays the trumpet in the church band, as well as in other private bands. He enjoys weight training, scuba diving, and flying small general aviation aircraft. Fun fact, Dr. Caskey has flown as far east as Key West and as far west as Anchorage, Alaska!