You may hear a dentist describe their approach as “conservative,” or you may be looking for a dentist who practices conservative dentistry. The term sounds reassuring, but it’s often misunderstood. In dentistry, being conservative does not simply mean doing the least amount of treatment possible. It means choosing treatment that is appropriate, measured, and focused…

If you’ve received different treatment recommendations from two dentists, it can be confusing. You may wonder whether one of them is missing something, being overly aggressive, or simply seeing the situation differently. In most cases, differing recommendations do not mean that one dentist is right and the other is wrong. They reflect how complex dental…

If a dentist tells you that a tooth may need to be removed, it can be surprising—especially if it doesn’t hurt much or look badly damaged. You may wonder why extraction is being discussed instead of another repair. This decision isn’t made casually. It’s based on how a tooth is expected to hold up over…