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What Is A Dental Specialist?

Posted on 11/15/2023 by Office of Dr. James A. Krippaehne

Woman with glasses smiling after visit to West End Dental in Portland, OR

You may not know that, just like the rest of your body, dentists can specialize in the type of dentistry they want to go into after dental school. Your general practitioner or family doctor that you see each year has a lot in common with your dentist because they both look after your general health and well-being. Dentists specialize in the care of your mouth, but some dentists specialize even further in specific areas of your mouth. These dentists choose to attend special training once their general dental coursework is complete.

Pediatric Dentists

Many dentists have an additional specialty to treat children. Pediatric dentists take additional training and coursework in diseases and treatment of tooth, gum, and mouth problems with children.

Orthodontists and Endodontists

Both orthodontists and endodontists are specializations you may have heard of. Orthodontists treat problems with your bite or tooth placement. They usually correct bite problems, tooth spacing, and crooked teeth with braces or clear aligners.

Endodontists are a bit different than orthodontists. They specialize in treating specific problems with a tooth. For example, if you have already had a root canal done on a tooth, but you are still experiencing severe tooth pain, an endodontist may be able to find and fix the problem with the tissues inside your tooth so that you can be pain-free.

What About My Gums?

If you are having problems with your gums, especially if your dentist has told you that you have gum disease, you need to see a periodontist. Periodontists specialize in the treatment of gum disease. Gum disease can become a serious issue, not just for your mouth but your overall health because gum disease is an infection that can spread to other parts of your body.

Periodontists are trained to thoroughly clean your gums above and below the gumline and make sure you continue to care for your gums. Often, periodontists are able to cure gum disease or make sure that your disease remains in remission.

WE TREAT OUR PATIENTS WITH RESPECT

We believe in educating patients about their treatment options and listening to their questions and concerns.

WE BELIEVE IN HEALTHY TEETH FIRST

We focus on prevention so that you keep your smile healthy. We provide excellent comfortable care for all procedures.

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Office: (503) 446-2957
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Dr. James Krippaehne

West End Dental
833 SW 11th Ave Suite 300
Portland, OR 97205

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Dental Blog | West End Dental | Portland, OR
West End Dental, 833 SW 11th Ave, Suite 300 Portland, OR 97205 / (503) 446-2957 / west-end-dental.com / 12/6/2024 / Associated Words: dentist Downtown Portland /