General Dental Services

Sleep Dentistry of Portland can help you with general dental services from routine cleaning to full smile makeovers. Our excellent quality and superior patient care will make you smile!

Scaling and Root Planing
Tooth and Gum Trouble

Bacteria in your mouth form a sticky film (plaque) on teeth and gums. If not removed, this film hardens into a crust (tartar, also called calculus). A buildup of plaque and tartar can cause an infection called periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can lead to pain, gum damage, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Scaling and root planing is a special type of cleaning done by a dental professional (general dentist, dental hygienist, or periodontist). This cleaning removes plaque and tartar. It helps restore the health of your teeth and gums.

Partial Dentures
A Partial Denture Replaces Missing Teeth

A partial denture is made up of one or more porcelain or plastic replacement teeth. Gum- colored plastic attaches these teeth to a metal framework. The partial is removable. It is held in your mouth with either metal clasps or precision attachments (special clasps made to fit into crowns).

Your Partial Denture

Once you have a partial denture to restore your smile, you should be able to chew more easily and with greater comfort. The partial will also help preserve your remaining teeth. Wearing a partial can be easy. Just spend a little time getting used to it. And take good care of your partial to keep your mouth healthy and help your partial last.

Bridges
Bridging the Gap

A bridge is a way to replace one or more missing teeth. Replacing missing teeth makes it easier to chew. It can improve your appearance. It also helps keep your teeth, gums, and jaws healthy.

Why a Bridge?

Spaces left by missing teeth affect the rest of your teeth. These gaps can cause chewing problems. If even one tooth is missing, other teeth may slowly shift out of place. This changes the way your teeth fit together (your bite). A poor bite may make your jaw sore. Your teeth may become harder to clean, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. And shifting teeth may change your smile.

What Is a Fixed Bridge?

A fixed bridge is one or more replacement teeth attached to the natural teeth next to them. The bridge can only be removed by a dentist. A bridge can be made of metal, tooth-colored porcelain, or a combination of the two. Your dentist will suggest the best material for your mouth.

Sealants
What Are Sealants?

Sealants are a safe, painless, and low- cost way to help protect your child's back teeth from decay. Sealants have been used on children's teeth for more than 20 years. A thin, plastic, tooth- colored or clear coating (sealant) is bonded to the chewing surfaces of the molars and premolars. This forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth and causing decay.

Why Should Children Have Sealants?

The chewing surfaces of the back teeth have tiny grooves that form as each tooth develops. This is where most decay occurs in children. That's because the bristles of a toothbrush can't get down into the grooves to remove the food and bacteria that get trapped there.