Dr. Josh is from a small town in Idaho, where his family still farms. After earning a business degree at Brigham Young University Idaho, Josh pursued dentistry at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, he was selected as class president, served on the curriculum and admissions committees, and participated in a 102-mile bike race to raise money for cancer research. During dental school, Josh also became certified in IV sedation through Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Following his graduation from OSU, he furthered his dental training through the Augusta, Georgia, Veterans Medical Center, where he served as chief resident and studied dental implants, surgery and prosthodontics. His advanced training has allowed him to provide patients with many services under one roof.

Josh is a firm believer in staying up to date in dentistry. He has attended hundreds of hours of continuing education courses and enjoys discussing dentistry with anyone who will listen. Our implant dentist is board certified and a member of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) and the American Board of Oral Implantology (ABOI). He is also the only dental implant diplomate in all of Montana.

This means that he has invested a significant amount of time and energy into training that is focused on dental implants, beyond basic dental education and even specialist education. There are specific requirements to become a diplomate with the AAID and ABOI, including:

Josh feels blessed to have lived in multiple parts of the country but is pleased to be back in the west where he can call Montana home. He and his wife, Krystal, love the outdoors and look forward to exploring the new places Montana has to offer.

Shelby Dental Hygienist Shelby earned her associate degree in health science at Central Wyoming College, playing basketball there for two years. She joined our practice in May 2021, the same month she graduated from Sheridan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene.

Shelby enjoys working in a small, tight-knit office that works as a team and allows her and her fellow team members to take the time to have personalized relationships with patients. Shelby works hard to promote high-quality oral health care to her patients, create an educational environment where patients are always guided in the right direction, and establish relationships with her patients.

Lynda brought her many years of experience to our practice in October of 2020. She started in dentistry in 1992 and became a certified dental assistant in 1999. She achieved fellowship in dental assisting in 2002 and mastership in 2007. Her favorite part of dentistry is helping patients overcome dental fear and giving them the smiles they want. Lynda is forever growing her skillset in order to provide quality work for her patients and coworkers.

If you are missing multiple teeth, our dentist may recommend complete or partial dentures to restore your smile and oral function. Dentures are a type of custom-made, removable oral appliance. There are two main categories of dentures:

Complete dentures are recommended to replace an entire arch of teeth. They can replace one or both arches depending on your individual needs. Partial dentures are recommended when you still have a few natural teeth remaining. This type of denture uses a thin framework or set of clasps, which attaches to the natural teeth to provide a more secure fit and improve the stability of your appliance.

Most dentures are placed after teeth have been lost or extracted and the mouth has had time to heal. In some cases, our dentist may place dentures immediately following extraction and adjust your appliance as your mouth heals (these are known as immediate dentures).

Generally speaking, dental implants have a very high success rate. In fact, problems with implants are very rare. Implants are designed to permanently replace your missing teeth, and they can last a lifetime with good oral hygiene practices at home and regular visits to a dentist for dental cleanings, exams and other preventive care. However, in some cases, you may find that a problem develops or that your implant needs to be repaired.

There are two reasons why your implant may need to be repaired. First, your implant restoration (crown, bridge or denture) may have sustained damage. If the damage is limited to the restoration, our dentist will usually be able to simply replace it to repair and restore your implant.

Second, your implant may become loose. If this is the case, then it may be because osseointegration (the process of the implant post bonding with the supporting bond) did not occur fully or because periodontal disease has damaged the supporting bone. This may require the implant to be removed and a bone graft to be provided before a new implant can be placed. Other treatments may be recommended as needed.

When you visit the Montana Center for Implants and Dentures, Dr. Josh Muir will evaluate your mouth and the implant to determine the cause of the problem. Once the problem has been diagnosed, he will be able to develop a customized treatment plan.