General Dentistry in Durango, CO

Proper dental hygiene at home is an essential start to any dental health regimen, but to be truly effective in preventing health problems from tooth decay and gum disease, adults and children need to have a thorough professional cleaning at least twice a year. Dr. Miner’s professional hygienists have the technology and skill to remove hardened plaque and tartar build-up that can lead to gingivitis or even periodontitis.

Are you missing teeth? Dr. Miner provides tooth replacement options ranging from bridges and partial dentures to dental implants.

Dr. Miner considers extraction to be a last resort — a strategy to be employed only when all other options have been exhausted. Even so, many people who come into our office still end up needing to have teeth removed for one reason or another. While it’s not an ideal outcome, it is much better than having a tooth that throbs night and day. Fortunately, there are lots of choices for replacing missing teeth these days.

Does the joint in your jawbone click when you open or close your mouth? You may need an occlusal adjustment, which can solve issues including jaw pain and headaches.

Dr. Miner provides “root canal” treatment, which usually involves a tooth with a large cavity, broken tooth/filling or the tooth has died. The inside of the tooth is cleaned out and a filling material is placed into the root of the tooth to preserve the tooth and root. Root canal infections are quite common, as they can occur for a variety of reasons. If you have experienced a recent trauma to the face or jaw, this can often cause a cracked or chipped tooth. Damaged teeth allow for nicks in the protective dentin, allowing infection to grow deep within the pulp and nerves of your tooth. Repeated dental procedures to the same area of the mouth can often cause the site of treatment to become swollen and irritated, raising the risk for a root canal infection.

Tooth grinding is a habit that can lead to gum disease, cracked teeth and loose teeth. Solve it today with the help of our professional dental team.

Your mouth may not be large enough to accommodate your wisdom teeth. If they must be removed, we will explain to you the options available, and do everything in our power to make it a comfortable experience.

Should a dental emergency arise, please call our office immediately and we will make every effort to schedule you as soon as we can.

BOTOX
Laughing, smiling and frowning causes facial muscles to contract and your skin to crease. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity and those creases deepen into wrinkles. Dr. Miner is a trained professional with Botox, a non-surgical prescription medication that temporarily reduces frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet, restoring a more youthful appearance to your face. Call for a personal complementary aesthetic consultation.

Dermal Filler
If you are looking for a non- surgical face lift or you just want to smooth out a few fine lines or fill in deep set wrinkles; injectables are for you. Often times people may not understand the difference between Botox, Xeomin, Dyspot and dermal fillers (Restylane, Juvéderm, Radiesse, Perlane, Sculptra). Botox type products work by decreasing the movement of muscles that cause worry lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, and other wrinkles. Botox achieves this by temporarily obstructing the signals traveling from the nerves to the muscles, thus slowing muscle movement and compelling wrinkles to soften and relax. Xeomin works in a similar manner to Botox and is what we offer as our Botox alternative.

Botox type products can be injected to lift certain areas of the face and increase the life of dermal fillers. You can expect results within 3-5 days, and they can last for 3-6 months. Botox can stand as an individual treatment or be combined with many other anti-aging treatments for better results. Dermal Fillers, however, are products which puff up weakened facial features, and often can stimulate collagen growth. Each dermal filler is unique in its own way but they all work in two ways. First, they plump the skin and gently lift it to restore collagen loss due to the normal aging process. Secondly, dermal fillers motivate the body to create its own natural collagen.
Besides lifting the characteristics of the face, restore volume, and improve wrinkles, they rejuvenate the skin providing a smooth youthful look. Dermal fillers work rather quickly and can last from several months up to as long as 2 years. Both forms of treatment work well separately but provide optimal results when used in combination with each other.

There are many different types of Dermal Fillers such as:
• Restylane
• Juvederm XC family (Ultra, Ultra Plus, Voluma)
• Radiesse
• Belotero Balance
• Prevelle Silk

A trigger point is a spot of exquisite tenderness in a muscle or its fascia, localized in a taut, palpable band of fibers. It causes a local twitch response under palpation and gives rise to pain, tenderness, autonomic phenomena, and dysfunction in an area usually remote form its site but specific to each muscle. Trigger point injections can be used to help relieve this pain (Myofascial pain). Dr. Miner performs trigger point injections to help break up the tight muscles and allow healing to start. This is often done in connection with massage therapy, chiropractic’s, physical therapy, and other professionals. Trigger point injections can be used to help reduce jaw and face pain, migraines, headaches, neck and shoulder pain. Often relief follows soon after a trigger point injection. Botox or Xeomin can be used to provide longer lasting relief. Dr. Miner provides treatment for all of these procedures.

Dr. Miner performs in-office laser teeth whitening. Laser teeth whitening is quicker and has less sensitivity than traditional in-office methods. Most in-office tooth whitening procedures use a type of hydrogen peroxide paste. The procedure can whiten your teeth four to six shades. Dr. Miner also offers teeth whitening systems you can use at home. This involves taking molds of your mouth and making custom mouth trays. The combination of in-office and at-home systems can provide up to 12 to 15 shades of whitening!

Dr. Miner offers a “clear” alternative to metal braces! Dr. Miner can straighten your teeth using a series of clear, custom, removable, nearly invisible aligners that incrementally adjust teeth without interruption to eating or routine brushing and flossing!

Dr. Miner is pleased to be able to offer Porcelain Veneers to his patients. Some veneers require no tooth enamel removal. Veneers can be very natural looking, and are extremely durable.

Plaque is a type of bacteria that is constantly growing within your mouth. Plaque can lead to tooth decay and can also irritate and inflame your gums. When this problem is not treated, your gums can begin to recede and the underlying bone tissue is damaged as well. Mild cases of gum disease, known as gingivitis, can be addressed by professional cleanings and a boost to your oral hygiene routine at home. When gingivitis is left untreated, it can deteriorate into periodontitis, which is very detrimental to your health. Dr. Miner offers both surgical and non-surgical treatments based on the state of your gum disease. He prefers to employ non-surgical techniques before resorting to surgical methods, though both are usually quite effective. Dr. Miner uses deep cleaning techniques like scaling and root planing to heal the infected gums. Dr. Miner also uses lasers as an alternative to gum surgery. Lasers can disinfect the gum, encourage bone growth and attachment to help you keep your teeth for as long as possible.

Implants
Dental implants are permanent fixtures that are designed to look and function like your natural teeth. They contain a titanium post on the inside, which gives them strength that dentures and bridges simply cannot match. This also makes them more comfortable than removable dentures. Dental implants are easier to eat with, improve your oral health, and can even improve speech patterns by replacing damaged teeth. Dental implants can last for a lifetime. The crowns are crafted individually for each of our patients through a series of impressions of your natural teeth.

Mini-Implants
If you are tired of your dentures rubbing on your gums, moving around, making it hard to eat what you want, embarrassed when the denture falls out, mini implants may be you solution. Mini-implants are small titanium posts used to provide a more secure fit for a denture. The miniature titanium implants act like the roots of your teeth and a retaining fixture is incorporated into the base of your denture. The head of the implant is ball-shaped, and the retaining fixture is a socket. The retaining fixture snaps over the ball when the denture is seated, securely holding the denture in place.

Mini-implants are a great option to stabilize dentures, and they can be completed in just one appointment. In about 2 hours, the implants can be placed and adapted to the denture. There is no incision, no sutures, and they are immediate. For instance, you can have the “mini-implant system” placed in less than two hours in the morning, then go out and enjoy your favorite lunch!

Mini implants are often times more affordable than other solutions.

Unless you want to undergo dental implant surgery, there are three basic options when it comes to prosthodontics: full, partial and flexible dentures. Not all dentures are the same. Dr. Miner makes dentures with high-quality, natural-colored teeth and acrylic. The teeth used by Dr. Miner wear better, maintain their color better and last longer. He also uses an advanced technique for making dentures, which shortens the number of appointments down to as few as three (compared to the traditional six to eight).

Dr. Miner provides gold and porcelain (tooth-colored) crowns. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. Crowns are cemented into place, completely covering the visible portion of a tooth above the gum line.

Cavities are small holes in the teeth that form when bacteria and the acid from food break down the tooth’s enamel. The development of a cavity or cavities usually produces specific symptoms, including mild to moderate pain in the tooth, especially when biting down, tooth sensitivity to hot and cold or visible holes in the tooth. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should visit Dr. Miner so he can perform a thorough examination of your teeth. If he does confirm that you have a cavity, then treatment methods will be discussed. We proudly offer laser treatment for cavities. Laser treatment allows us to disinfect the tooth prior to the placement of a filling without the use of a drill. Often our patients do not need a shot for numbing, which means less discomfort for you! We offer tooth-colored composite fillings, as well as traditional silver fillings.

Do fears about the dentist hold you back from scheduling an appointment? Does just thinking about visiting the dentist fill you with anxiety and discourage you from going? Often times this can lead to pain, embarrassment, change in your appearance. If so, know you are not alone, and advancements in dental technology make it so you no longer need to be afraid to visit the dentist. Dr. Miner has different techniques that can be customized to address your specific feelings of fear and anxiety. We want your dental experience to be completely comfortable and positive! Sedation dentistry provides a safe and comfortable experience for patients to get the care they need and want. We use oral medication (pills) which allow us to customize the sedation to your anxiety level and medical history, allowing you a comfortable, relaxing and safe experience. With oral sedation, patients do not remember much about the procedure (if anything). Their anxiety often falls to a very low level and they become a relaxed patient. The sedation medication has muscle relaxing properties, so patients who suffer from jaw soreness, have small mouths, or neck or back problems can comfortably have extensive treatment completed in one visit.

Nightguards are designed to protect your teeth and reduce the chances of the teeth chipping, breaking or splitting. Nightguards are individually designed and made for the most comfortable fit and offer the best protection of your teeth. Dr. Miner will make an impression of your teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material.