Comprehensive Family Dentistry in Durango
At Animas Dental Associates, we know how important it is for everyone in your family to have quality dental care they can depend on. Our dentist, Dr. Ron Owens, is committed to helping you and your loved ones protect and care for their smiles at every stage of life.
We provide family dentistry for patients across Durango. Whether you need care for yourself, a child, spouse, or parent, our team is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a visit and get the care your family needs!
CALL US: (970) 247-0331 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
The Benefits of Visiting a Family Dentist
If you’ve never been to a family dentist, you may not know what makes them different from a general dentist. Both types of dentists provide standard care to help protect, restore, and enhance your smiles. With a family dentist, however, you’ll know that they have extensive experience working with all ages, including children, teens, and elderly patients.
At a family dental office, everyone in your family can receive the care they need under one roof. This can help you save time by scheduling everyone’s visits for the same day. Moreover, having everyone in your family visit the same dentist provides better continuity of care. It makes it easier for Dr. Owens to spot potential health issues caused by genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors. This can improve your treatment and even help to prevent some issues.
Can I Visit a Family Dentist if I Don’t Have a Family?
Absolutely! We welcome patients of all ages regardless of whether you’re single, a couple, a parent, or a senior. You’ll receive the same attentive, compassionate care no matter what your life situation is. It also means that if and when you do start a family, you’ll already have a reliable dental office you can trust to care for their smiles.
Dental Care for All Ages
Dr. Owens and his team know that every patient is unique and requires personalized care. Since dental needs change with age, having a dentist who understands your needs at different life stages helps you to protect your smile throughout your lifetime.
We provide a wide range of dental treatments to ensure that each patient can receive the care they need. Our services include:
We understand that some people become nervous when it comes to dental visits or treatment. We want to make our office a safe and relaxing place where everyone can receive care. Our staff is always patient and happy to answer questions, and we strive to help you feel comfortable during treatments.
We also offer nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) for all ages, and will happily provide it for you or your child on request. Contact us before your visit, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs and help you feel safe and cared for.
Dentistry for Children
Our office provides dental care for children starting at age five. Dr. Owens and his team love working with young smiles and helping kids learn about their teeth and how to care for them. We use age-appropriate language and a friendly, engaging attitude to help them feel safe and have fun during their visits.
What Kind of Dental Care do Children Need?
A child’s smile changes rapidly as they grow, first gaining their baby teeth, then replacing them with adult teeth. Since a child’s early teeth build the foundation for their adult smiles, it’s important for us to monitor their growth and address problems quickly.
Here are a few of the treatments and services we often provide for our youngest patients.
Exams: We use visual exams to check for any signs of decay or other health issues within your child’s smile. Digital x-rays provide clear images we can use to follow your child’s dental development and catch any problems early. We can also alert you to potential alignment issues and refer you to an orthodontist for treatment to help them develop a healthier bite.
Cleanings: Children are more prone to cavities and tooth decay because they are still learning to care for their teeth and typically consume more sugary foods. Professional cleanings every six months helps to remove plaque and tartar from your child’s teeth. This is an essential part of helping them avoid tooth decay. As part of the cleaning, we include a fluoride treatment, which helps keep their teeth strong and healthy.
Sealants: A sealant is a special clear coating we place over a child’s most vulnerable teeth. This coating creates a barrier to keep food and bacteria off their enamel and greatly reduce the risk of cavities. Sealant treatments last several years, providing long-term protection.
Fillings and Crowns: If your child does get a cavity, we can apply a filling to help protect and strengthen their tooth. This treatment will remove the decay and repair the damaged enamel. If the cavity is large or the tooth is broken, we can also provide a custom crown for even greater protection. It’s important to treat baby teeth, since they help determine how their adult smiles will develop.
Pulpotomy: If an infection or decay reaches the inner tooth, it can have serious health concerns. We can perform a pulpotomy to treat the infection and save as much of the tooth as possible.
Education: Helping children understand how to care for their smiles is a passion for our team and a major part of what we do. Using age-appropriate concepts and kid-friendly language, we teach kids good habits and show them how to do things like brushing and flossing. We also educate parents on important factors such as nutrition, hygiene, and limiting harmful foods and drinks like sodas and sugary snacks.
Dental Care for Teens
For teens and young adults, we help your child transition into taking more responsibility for their smiles. On top of providing exams and cleanings, we work with them to become independent in their dental care. Prevention is important for teens, who are developing their own habits and may need extra care to ensure their adult teeth remain healthy throughout their lifetime.
For most people, their third molars, or “wisdom teeth”, appear in their late teens or early twenties. If crowding is an issue, we can provide simple extractions for wisdom teeth to provide more room and better overall health. More complex cases, such as impacted wisdom teeth, we will refer to a specialist to ensure they receive the expert care they need.
Many teens and young adults are actively involved in sports and other physical activities. To help your child protect their teeth, we can provide customized sports guards. A sports guard shaped to your child’s teeth is more comfortable and delivers better protection overall, and will help to keep their teeth from being chipped, broken, or dislodged.
Adult Dentistry in Durango
Dr. Owens and his team offer a wide range of services to help adults with their smiles. From preventive care to restorations and even cosmetic enhancements, we work with you to create a personalized treatment plan based on your needs and goals.
Dental Restorations to Rebuild Your Smile
As we get older, our smile can face many challenges, from major issues like decay and gum disease to wear and tear from years of use. Our practice offers a variety of restorations that can help you revitalize your smile, whether you have damaged teeth or are missing teeth completely.
- Fillings repair mild to moderate forms of decay, strengthening teeth and preserving healthy enamel.
- Crowns can encase an entire tooth for durable, lasting protection. They’re often used to rebuild a tooth from breaking, wearing down, having severe decay, or after root canal therapy.
- Bridges can replace 1-3 lost teeth in a row by suspending new teeth over the gap. They can either be secured to crowns, placed on your natural teeth, or supported by dental implants.
- Partial dentures can replace several missing teeth. They’re customized to your smile and use metal or acrylic clasps around your remaining teeth to keep them secure.
- Full dentures restore an entire dental arch when your teeth are lost or in bad shape. Suction, dental adhesive, or dental implants can all be used to secure dentures in place.
Enhancing Your Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry
As an adult, your smile plays an important role in your day-to-day life. If you’re dissatisfied with the way it looks, our cosmetic dental treatments could help make a difference.
- Teeth whitening can lift years of staining from your teeth, revealing a fresh, brighter smile. We offer Ultradent® take-home teeth whitening kits, which include custom trays for even results.
- Veneers cover the front portion of your most visible teeth with lifelike shells to transform their appearance, masking chips, cracks, gaps, and more. Our veneers are available in porcelain and composite.
- Fillings and crowns can serve two purposes as both cosmetic and restorative treatments. Choosing natural-looking materials like composite and porcelain allows us to protect your teeth without disrupting your smile’s aesthetics.
Oral Appliances for Better Health and Quality of Life
Our teeth face many complex issues, especially during our adult life. Fortunately, modern dentistry can provide a wide range of oral appliances capable of addressing numerous health issues and promoting improved overall health and well-being.
- Snore guards are designed to address the causes of tissue vibration responsible for snoring. A custom guard will fit comfortably and allow you and your loved ones to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
- Sleep apnea appliances hold the jaw or tongue in place to keep the airway open, allowing you to breathe and reducing nighttime waking episodes.
- Occlusal guards are available for patients who experience nighttime bruxism (teeth grinding). It protects your teeth from constant wear and may reduce symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
Dentistry for Seniors
Many people believe that tooth loss and poor oral health are a natural part of aging, but this doesn’t have to be the case. While risk factors do increase as we age, knowledge and proactive treatment can help to counter these effects and preserve your smile as long as possible.
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, especially in seniors. We work with you to address the causes of gum disease and provide treatment at every stage to help prevent tooth loss. Scaling and root planing, also called deep cleanings, can treat infection below the gumline and help stop gum disease before it advances. Dry mouth, a common side effect of medications, can also increase the risk of gum disease. We offer solutions such as dry mouth rinse and paste to counter these effects and protect your oral health.
If and when you do lose teeth, we offer our wide range of dental restorations to replace lost teeth. Dr. Owens takes great care to talk with you and determine the replacement option that works best for you, whether it’s a bridge, denture, or implant-supported restoration.
Emergency Dentistry for Same-Day Care
Even the most diligent patient can still suffer a dental emergency. If you have a tooth that’s been damaged or in pain, contact our office immediately. We strive to be there for our patients and will work to get you a same-day appointment whenever possible. Whether you need a dislodged tooth put back in place, an emergency crown, or root canal therapy, our team will be there to treat you with compassion and dependable care.
Visit Our Durango Office for Reliable Family Dentistry
At Animas Dental Associates, we know the confidence and peace of mind that comes from knowing your family has the dental care they need. Dr. Owens and our team are passionate about helping patients of all ages, and we look forward to helping your family protect their healthy smiles.
If you live or work in the Durango area, contact our office today with questions or to schedule a visit!
CALL US: (970) 247-0331 REQUEST APPOINTMENT