He attended high school at Des Moines Theodore Roosevelt High School. He attended Drake University in Des Moines, and received his undergraduate degree in Pre-Dental Biological Sciences. He received his dental training at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, where he received the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

He practiced in Des Moines for over 14 years before moving to Minnesota with his wife, who is from the New Hope/Plymouth area. He practiced for 8 years at another practice in Lakeville, and 2 years in Faribault before opening Miller Comfort Dental of Lakeville.

Dr. Bob now has over 30 years of professional experience. This includes over 25 years of private and group practice, and more than 5 years as the Dental Director of a not-for-profit childrens clinic in Des Moines. He was appointed to and served for 11 years on the Des Moines District Peer Review Committee, an investigative committee for the Iowa Board of Dental Examiners.

Dr. Bob grew up inspired by his father and grandfather to choose a career where he could work with his hands and help people. His greatest professional mentors at that time were two dentists in Des Moines that he has known most of his life, and who were and are highly respected general practice dentists.

Dr. Bob is proud of his tenure at the Des Moines Health Center. The DMHC is a not-for-profit clinic that provides primary medical and dental care for the children of low-income working-class families. While at the DMHC, he was responsible along with the administrative director for implementing a private-practice model and efficiency into the dental clinic. He helped to develop and implement an in-school mobile sealant program, and helped to bring a pediatric dental resident to the DMHC.

In 1988, he was invited to be a member of the Des Moines District Peer Review Committee, where he was involved in investigating and researching complaints of clinical competency made to the Iowa Board of Dentistry against practicing dentists. He left that assignment only because of his move to Minnesota.

Dr. Bob married his wife Kim in 1998. Kim is a clinical pharmacist for a pharmaceutical benefits management company. They have two children who keep him both young and old at the same time. He is involved in their sports and academic activities. Dr. Bob also has two grown children living in the Des Moines area. His older daughter works for a large national financial and banking institution. She has a beautiful young daughter, and is very active in several hobbies, including Crew (rowing).

Dr. Miller loves to work with his hands in his spare time. He enjoys yard work and landscaping. He is a die-hard sports-fan-for-life. He played softball for over thirty years before hanging up his glove and cleats. He has a 3rd-degree Black Belt in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. He has recently resumed his attempts to play golf at a decent level.

Ashley is our chairside dental assistant, responsible for keeping Dr. Miller on the ball! She has several years of experience, and a fabulous sense of humor. She handles the organization and operation of the clinical areas of our practice.

She came to the to the Twin Cities after being born and raised in the Mankato area. She and Dr. Miller work very well and in sync with each other, and you will find them laughing more often than not. If there is anything we can do to make your visit with us more comfortable or enjoyable, make sure to ask Ashley. She will get right on it.

We consider ourselves a family-oriented dental practice. We know how important your families are to you, because we know how important our families are to us! We are happy to provide care to patients of all ages.

We utilize state-of-the-art equipment, materials and techniques. We adhere to strict infection control procedures. We stay current with continuing education to make sure that we are current with our treatments.

But what we think is even more important is that you, the patient, understand the care you are receiving. We will clearly explain what care we feel you need, why we feel you need it, and how we can provide that care for you. We will explain options if there are options. We will do our best to give you all the information you need to make a clear and informed decision about your dental care.

We are making every effort to stay informed of the latest information available from reputable and valid sites and agencies. Dr. Miller stays abreast of the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the NIH (National Institute of Health) recommendations and information.

Dental offices have always used Universal Precautions. We wear masks and gloves, we disinfect the treatment rooms after every patient, and we sterilize all instruments with the latest methods.In this era of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have upped our game. We have basically doubled our room disinfection procedures, we have added HEPA Air filters in our treatment rooms and the open areas of the office, and we have changed our office policies on patient presence.

We are following OSHA and CDC recommendations on Personal Protective Equipment to the best of our abilities based on the availability of the PPE materials. We are wearing N95 or KN95 masks and face shields when performing procedures that may create an aerosol, and level 3 surgical masks when doing something that does not create an aerosol in the treatment rooms. We have always laundered our clinic attire on premise, and are continuing to do so. Outer gowns are being changed several times throughout the day, and that frequency will increase when more gowns are available. By increasing our diligence on PPE and procedures, we keep our employees safer, which in turn keeps our patients safer.

Dental Implants are a wonderful procedure choice. When replacing a single missing tooth in most areas of the mouth, they are THE treatment of choice. They can replace a missing tooth or teeth, and after the final crown is placed, it can be very difficult for anyone else to know it is not your own tooth!

Decades ago when dental implants were entering the profession, there were many, many types of implants designed, researched, and tried. They all looked good in theory and on paper. Some worked, some failed. OK, many failed! But after years of study and use, the ones that dont work are gone, and the ones that do work are here to stay.

Most implants are made of titanium alloys. They are placed by a qualified professional in the same place as the roots of the missing tooth were previously. After the bone heals around the implant (a term called Osseointegration) the implant is then restored with a crown, partial denture, or denture.

Implants are placed in a surgical setting, usually in the dental or oral surgery office, as an outpatient procedure. They are usually no more uncomfortable than having a tooth removed. The surgeon will explain everything to you, what you can expect, how long the healing will take, and when you can have the crown placed.

Before the introduction of implants, the most commonly provided procedure for a missing tooth was a bridge. A bridge is a crown on the tooth in front of the gap, one to fill the gap, and one on the tooth behind the gap. It is all one piece, and is bonded in like a single crown. It can be metal, ceramic, or a combination. It looks, feels, and functions like a tooth. We still use bridges in those instances where an implant may not be the best choice. But as there are pros, there are also cons to bridges, and Dr. Miller can explain those to you so you can make the choice you feel is right for you.

Obviously this is just a quick overview of implants, and there is a lot of information we can discuss. Make sure to ask the questions you want answered, and we will do our best to give you all the information necessary to make the best choice for you!

It is important to know why the tooth is having a crown placed, and the condition of the tooth before the crown is placed. You can also go to the Services and Care section of our website, and read about crowns and root canal treatments.

We place crowns for multiple reasons. The major reasons are:1. a large previous filling that has broken down or has new decay, and needs to be replaced, but there will not be enough tooth remaining to support the stresses and forces of chewing.2. A broken cusp or a vertical fracture in the tooth, when the exam and your symptoms show that a filling just wont be enough.3. A back tooth after having had a root canal treatment, or a front tooth after a root canal treatment where there is existing damage to the tooth structure, or a large previous filling.

We do a root canal treatment when the living part of the inside of a tooth is irreversibly damaged, and your symptoms confirm the need. Many teeth that need crowns do not have symptoms that indicate or confirm the need for a root canal treatment. This is not to say it might not in the future, but at the time of treatment the root canal therapy is not indicated.

An adult can put tremendous pressure on their back teeth when chewing, clenching, or grinding. I have read research articles that say we can put as much as 250-300 pounds per square inch on our back teeth! And when we are asleep, that amount can increase 6-10 fold!We have always known that placing a crown on a back tooth with a root canal treatment is indicated to protect the tooth from those big-time forces. But now we have studies that show that the more important reason to place a crown is to provide total coverage and seal over the tooth to prevent what is called micro-leakage. This is the infiltration of saliva, acids, and bacteria that take place over time around a filling. If these bacteria get to the root canal seal, then the seal may fail. This may result in a root canal therapy re-treatment, or possibly (infrequently) loss of the tooth.

So, in answer to your question: Almost every tooth that has had a root canal treatment will need a crown, but not every tooth that has a crown will need a root canal treatment. Each tooth will be evaluated individually, and the treatment planned, determined, and discussed with you.

Cracked teeth are a big nemesis of the dental profession. Cracked teeth can present in many different ways, with many different sets of symptoms, and many possible outcomes. We determine the best course of treatment based on your symptoms and condition, but the outcomes of that treatment are difficult to predict based on what the dental industry calls Cracked Tooth Syndrome. This is the nickname we have given to encompass all of the possible outcomes. It is not an official term, but every dentist knows what it means.

All teeth, especially back teeth, have natural anatomical grooves, cusps, and ridges. This anatomy is what allows the teeth to jigsaw together for chewing and function. However, this anatomy also predisposes the teeth to fracture, almost as if the grooves are perforation lines. When you have decay (a cavity) we cannot leave the decay, or the tooth will eventually have a much bigger problem. That may be a crown, a root canal treatment and a crown, or even loss of the tooth. So we place a restoration (a filling). That filling will in most cases serve you for years. But the tooth is now weaker than it was before the decay set in. So now the tooth is even more prone to fracture.

Most fractures occur due to the normal wear, tear, and stresses that we place on teeth in normal function. A healthy adult can place between 250 and 300 pounds per square inch on their back teeth during function. Parafunctional habits like grinding or clenching can increase that pressure up to 1000% ! Adding to those stresses is the fact that most of us at one time or another chew things we shouldnt. Things like ice, popcorn old maids, corn nuts, roasted nuts, hard candy, or the accidental bone in a piece of meat. During the course of these functions, we create small surface craze lines in the enamel. These lines may never progress, and may never require any further treatment. But sometimes these craze lines can progress, much like a small chip or crack in your car windshield. Eventually, the fracture will progress to the point of symptoms or complete fracture. When this happens, you come see us at the dental office, and we determine the course of treatment best suited to your symptoms and your tooth.

Dr. Miller would love to be able to determine the severity of your fracture beyond a shadow of a doubt. But in most cases that is not possible. The only way to truly determine the extent of the fracture is to remove the tooth and examine it in a laboratory under light and magnification. Unfortunately, we cannot screw the tooth back in after that! So Dr. Miller will attempt to determine the severity based on your symptoms and testing.Based on the severity of your symptoms, we will recommend to you that you have:

A crown. This is the most likely treatment. This may be gold, porcelain over metal, or an all-ceramic crown. The purpose of the crown is to cover the tooth, cover the fracture, and hold the tooth together to resist further fracture due to stresses of function.

A Root Canal Treatment and a Crown. If your symptoms are of a certain level, it will tell us that the living part of the tooth (nerve, blood vessels, fibers) is irreversibly irritated or damaged, and will not heal without this treatment. Once most teeth have Root Canal Therapy, they will also require a crown to protect them through the future.

So you can see why we consider cracked teeth a nemesis. We will do our best to give you the best outcome. But ultimately, your tooth and your personal biology will make the final determination . Your symptoms may resolve, may worsen, or may resolve and then return months or years in the future. Any or all of these conditions are consistent with the consequences of having a cracked tooth.

Why are they safe? The technology and equipment used to take and record dental X-rays (Radiographs) is constantly improving. In the 30+ years that I have been doing this, the changes are astonishing. The quality of the X-ray units has improve by leaps and bounds. The amount of radiation necessary to expose an X-ray is minimal, several hundred percent less than 30 years ago. The units have shielding and columnation (the aim and control of the X-ray beam) that is very precise. There is little or no scatter radiation anymore, as there was decades ago. Lead aprons are no longer necessary when taking routine dental X-rays. We have the aprons available for people with other risks, or women who are pregnant. But they are not used routinely anymore.We use digital sensors now instead of film. The sensors are greatly more sensitive, and much less radiation is needed to expose the image. Then the computer software used with the digital X-rays allows us to glean so much more data than from a small film.

What X-rays do you need? We take only X-rays that are necessary for the proper diagnosis and treatment of your oral health. There are some X-rays that are taken on a regular basis to compare to previous X-rays. There are some that are taken to identify, locate, or rule out specific problems. And there are some X-rays that we take during the course of treatment to monitor and guide our treatment protocols.

Without the proper X-rays, we cannot complete a thorough examination and diagnosis, and may miss some type of simple problem or concern that could become a major problem or concern in the future. We will only recommend and take the X-rays needed for your oral care, and no more. We will tell you why we are taking them, and what they show.

Systemic fluoride, which means fluoride you take into your body, helps with the development of teeth from the inside. This fluoride is obtained through most cities drinking water, through fluoride supplements, and to a lesser extent through dietary sources.

Fluoride in toothpastes and rinses, and topical fluoride applied at your dental office, provide protection from the outside. Many people have the misconception that adults do not need fluoride. Topical fluoride contact with your teeth, and with the edges of fillings and crowns, provides added protection to help prevent decay. The more edges of fillings and crowns you have (we call these margins), where the material meets the tooth, the more advantage and benefit you will gain from fluoride.

Remember those bulky styrofoam spongy fluoride trays we used when we were younger? GONE!Remember the foams and gels and lousy flavors? GONE!Remember having to wait 30 minutes to eat or drink after the fluoride treatments? GONE!

We now use fluoride varnishes that are painted on your teeth with a small brush. No trays, foams, or gels. The varnish sets up in seconds, and you can eat and drink within five minutes of placement!And the varnish continues to provide fluoride coverage for hours after application, MUCH longer than the old foams and gels.

Too much fluoride ingested into your system as a child can cause discoloration or pitting of the enamel surface of your permanent teeth. This is why we strongly suggest that children do not swallow toothpaste (as well as the fact it will quite likely make them nauseous). If your home drinking water has fluoride, that is usually sufficient for your children.

Sealants are a resin coating applied to the grooved surfaces of permanent back teeth to significantly reduce the incidence of decay in those teeth. We like to apply sealants to permanent 6-year and 12-year molars as soon as they have come in (erupted). Occasionally we will recommend sealants for various other back teeth.

The chewing surfaces of your back teeth, especially the molars, have grooves we call fissures. These fissures may not appear deep to your eye, but at a microscopic level, they are narrower than even the bristle of a toothbrush. But these grooves can be like four-lane highways to bacteria! By cleaning and then sealing over these grooves, we can reduce the chance of you developing decay on those surfaces by as much as 80-90%! You can still get cavities if you dont take care of your teeth, but this is a wonderful method of help. Note that sealants only protect the chewing surfaces. They do not help between your teeth. So, YES! You still have to floss!

At Miller Comfort Dental, we go a step beyond standard sealants. We clean and etch the grooves, and then use a bonded liquid material more similar to filling material, called flowable composite, to seal your teeth. We do this at no extra charge beyond a standard sealant fee. We feel that the strength and lifespan of this type of sealant is far superior to standard sealant material. And we guarantee those sealants for life. If we place your sealant, and it chips or fails, we will replace it for you at no charge.

Sealants are painless and quick to place. You can eat and drink immediately after you leave our office. And most insurance providers will cover the cost of sealants for your children through 14 or 15 years-of-age. And even if they arent covered, the cost to you for four molar sealants is about the same as the cost of only one tooth-colored back tooth filling. And without sealants, we can almost assure you will develop one or more cavities in those teeth.

Let me start by addressing the word permanent. When we place a filling or a crown or a partial denture or a denture, or any of the numerous services we provide, most are considered permanent. However permanent does not mean for life. If means for the lifespan of the particular service and material used. An example would be a silver amalgam filling. One of my textbooks back in school told us that the expected lifespan of a silver filling is 10-12 years. In real life, I see some silver amalgam fillings that are 35 or 40 years old. They are still there, and still providing a good service. But they are not as strong or well-sealed as they once were, and quite probably should be replaced.

There are many factors involved: How well you take care of your teeth; What and how you eat; unconscious habits like grinding or clenching; Conscious habits like chewing fingernails or pens or toothpicks; How well were the original fillings done; There are also traumatic injuries, and cracked teeth.

Think of your car, or your refrigerator, or your favorite pair of shoes. If you get 10 years and 200,000 miles out of your car, you will quite probably buy the same make again. If your refrigerator lasts 15 years, you will think it is a great fridge. And if you wear those comfy shoes until they fall apart, youll go buy another pair, and wear those out too!

Crowns are made from several different materials in todays dentistry, for several different reasons. We can make all-ceramic crowns for your front teeth, and all-ceramic crowns for your back teeth. They are beautiful, but may not be as strong as some other materials. We can make all-metal crowns, with varying percentages of high-noble metals (like gold) depending on the location and need. These are MUCH stronger crowns, but obviously not tooth-colored. We can make crowns that are porcelain on the outer surface, and metal or zirconium on the inner surface. Again, stronger than all-ceramic, and more beautiful than all-metal. And remember, porcelain is glass, so you must consider what you chew and do with porcelain much more than you have to with all-metal.

We recommend that most people have their oral conditions examined twice a year. And in some patients, based on the condition of their teeth and mouths, we recommend visits every three or four months. This has basis in the time frames that it takes for detrimental conditions to re-establish, and begin causing damage in your mouth. This may include tartar build-up, plaque build-up, active decay history, home-care quality, and countless other factors. But the simplest explanation is that in the general population, six months is the average time that allows us to monitor your oral health, and keep you healthy throughout your life.

Long answer: Mercury-containing silver fillings are known as amalgam fillings. They are an amalgam, or mixture, of several metals mixed in proper ratios to create a hard, durable, and long-lasting filling material. The metal in highest concentration is silver, while mercury provides the liquid portion of the mix.Methyl Mercury, or quicksilver, in its pure form is toxic. But when mixed, or amalgamated, with the other metals in the proper amounts, it becomes non-toxic. Once the metal hardens, there is negligible if any risk. There is more mercury vapor from industry in the air we breathe than there is from a set filling.

A great example is the chemical chlorine. If I give you a glass of liquid chlorine, like Clorox, and you drink it, we will all be attending your funeral. But if you mix that same pure chlorine with the chemical sodium in the proper ratios and conditions, you have Sodium Chloride table salt. A relatively non-toxic item.

Silver fillings are no longer the filling-of-choice, and have not been for many years. But silver fillings have been around for decades, and we routinely see 20, 30, 40 year old fillings. Some of these fillings are still doing their jobs. And some of these fillings are no longer well sealed, or are breaking down, and need to be replaced. And bonded, tooth-colored composite resins have more advantages, probably fewer long-term drawbacks, and of course look a lot nicer. These bonded composite fillings are now one of the materials-of-choice when a filling is the treatment you need.

As far as removing and replacing old fillings: Any time you work on a tooth, you irritate that tooth. It is believed that irritation to a tooth is cumulative, and enough irritation can cause the living tissue in the tooth to die. And there is no way to measure and truly know the level of irritation a tooth has endured. So unless the benefits of replacing the filling clearly outweigh the negatives, you do not need to replace your old fillings before their time. At your request, we will gladly replace your old silver fillings with beautiful tooth-colored fillings, but only after you understand the pros and cons. And when they do require replacement, tooth-colored fillings are a great option.

Ah, the big, bad buzzword that all the comedians and TV shows jump on to scare the heck out of all of us. People immediately cringe, picturing Black and Decker variable speed hand drills, and tell us horror stories of people they know that have had one.

I use the example of car ownership. 100 people buy a new car model, like an Impala or a Taurus. 96 people get a good car, 4 people get a lemon. Who do you hear from? Thats right, the four who got the lemons. That means there are 96 people out there that are happy. The same is true with Root Canal Treatments. And three out of that four waited too long to get the treatment done after the dentist suggested it, resulting in more difficult treatment.

Each tooth has one, two, or three roots. Each root has canals, or tubes, in it that contain the living nerves, blood vessels, and fibers of the tooth. When that tissue, called the pulp, is damaged or irritated, it stimulates your immune system to try to eliminate the problem. We can remove that tissue, disinfect the tooth, and seal the root, to allow the immune system to say, Hey, we can keep this tooth in your mouth. So we do Therapy on the Canal inside the Root Root Canal Therapy.

The most common brands available are the Sonicare by Phillips, and the Oral B by Braun. Both are excellent. They work in slightly different ways in that the motion of the brush head is different with the different brands. But they both do an excellent job. Which brush you use depends on your own personal taste. Ask us, because many times of the year, we have coupons you can use to lower your cost.

The Sonicare system uses ultrasonic vibration to move the brush head back-and-forth over 30,000 times per minute. Thats a lot of movement! There are several different models, each step up having added features and capabilties. There is also a childrens model.

The Oral B system uses a rotary-style movement, more similar to the feel of having your teeth polished in a dental office, along with a back-and-forth vibrating motion. Again, there are different models, each step up adding features and capabilities. And there is a childrens model.

Sonicare also has added a new product called the Air Floss that at first impression appears to be a wonderful new device. It will be especially helpful in cleaning around braces, and bridges, and implants. It will not completely replace flossing, but will likely be the next best thing to it. It will also be very helpful for people that cannot effectively floss due to decreased dexterity in their hands, or due to medical conditions. Ask us about it.