Advanced Dental Care in Bend OR

Exceptional patient care extends well beyond examination of the teeth and gums. At Shevlin Dental Center, our dentists make a positive impact on your oral wellness by addressing the physiological concerns that challenging your well-being such as gingival (gums) inflamation, bacterial and other disease challenges, disruption or changes to your bite and teeth, the TMJ (jaw) joint and/or obstruction in the breathing passages. When appropriate Drs. Cauble and Huff work as a team with carefully selected specialists to provide the highest quality care.

Sedation Dentistry
TMJ (TMD) Therapy
Sleep Apnea and Snore Guards

Sedation Dentistry

Dr. Huff and Dr. Cauble understand that many people are deeply frightened by dental care. Some are traumatized by past dental experiences. The doctors and our staff understand and respect your fears and concerns. If you dread dental visits or are plagued by the fear of going to the dentist, Dr. Cauble and Dr. Huff make it easy to receive the care you need. Sedation dentistry can be a useful complement to treatment for patients who have feelings of dental anxiety, or for those who are simply seeking a more comfortable appointment. Our sedation techniques are tailored to your personal level of comfort and the doctors are certified by the Oregon Board of Dentistry and licensed to administer safe and effective levels of sedation for a pain-free dental experience.

TMJ (TMD) Therapy

TMJ disorder, often referred to as TMD, is a very common condition characterized by improper function of the jaw (temporomandibular) joints. When the upper and lower jaws are aligned and behaving properly, these joints allow you to open and close your mouth with ease. However, bite misalignment, severe tooth wear, or a disruption in the delicate balance between the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and bones of the TMJ can impair normal motion, making actions like chewing and yawning difficult and painful. As tension caused by opening and closing the jaw forces the mechanisms surrounding the TMJ to behave irregularly, patients can experience physiological symptoms such as:

Jaw clicking or popping
Headaches
Earaches
Ringing sounds
Soreness in the facial muscles
Problems chewing
Pain in the shoulders, back, neck, or jaw

Since many signs of TMJ disorder are experienced outside the jaw, patients may not realize that TMJ dysfunction may be the root cause of their symptoms. For this reason, a thorough evaluation of your oral structures and bite is essential in determining whether your jaw joints are functioning properly and identifying the underlying cause of your pain. Drs. Cauble and Huff work closely with TMJ specialists in the area to formulate an effective treatment plan that can reduce your symptoms while restoring the full integrity of your bite. In the majority of cases, TMJ disorder can be alleviated with minimally invasive approaches, including orthodontic treatment to align the jaws, a customized oral appliance (mouth guard) that works to reduce stress on the TMJ, or bite and jaw therapies to relieve muscle soreness.

Sleep Apnea and Snore Guards

Millions of individuals around the world are affected by sleep apnea, a condition in which an obstruction in the airways restricts the amount of oxygen that travels to the brain. This can cause severe sleep interruptions such as loud snoring and repeated pauses in breathing. Sleep apnea may also pose serious risk to a patient’s overall health. While most sleep apnea patients require sleep studies at home or in a sleep center, Dr. Cauble and Dr. Huff will work in tandem with your physician for non-surgical solutions to help you improve your sleep apnea and achieve a healthy night’s sleep, such as custom night guards that open up the breathing passages and reduce snoring.