THE SCIENCE OF A HEALTHIER SMILE
Dental care, clearly explained.
Explore what happens to your teeth and gums—and how common dental treatments work—through practical explanations and step-by-step illustrations.
18 guides · 88 illustrations
Prevention & gum health
How cavities develop—and how fluoride helps
Fluoride helps enamel resist acid and repair early mineral loss before a cavity forms.
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Dental sealants
Sealants help keep cavity-causing plaque out of the deep grooves of back teeth.
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Gum disease and deep cleaning
Gum disease begins with inflammation and can progress to damage of the bone supporting your teeth.
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Teeth grinding and night guards
Clenching and grinding can overload teeth, jaw muscles, and existing restorations.
Read the guide ↗Restoring teeth
Tooth-colored fillings
A filling repairs a tooth after decay or minor damage, preserving as much healthy tooth as possible.
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Dental crowns
A crown covers and protects a tooth that has lost too much strength or structure for a simple filling.
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Cracked teeth: why early evaluation matters
A crack can start small but may deepen with chewing pressure.
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Root canal infections and treatment
Root canal treatment addresses infection or severe inflammation inside a tooth.
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Dental veneers
Veneers cover the fronts of teeth to improve their color, shape, and appearance.
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Clear aligner therapy
Clear aligners gradually move teeth to improve alignment, the bite, and access for cleaning.
Read the guide ↗Non-removable replacements for missing teeth
Traditional dental bridges
A traditional bridge replaces a missing tooth by anchoring an artificial tooth to neighboring teeth.
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Single-tooth implant crowns
An implant crown can replace one missing tooth without preparing the adjacent teeth for a traditional bridge.
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Implant-supported bridges
An implant-supported bridge can replace several neighboring teeth using implants as anchors.
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All-on-X full-arch restorations
All-on-X refers to a full row of replacement teeth supported by several implants.
Read the guide ↗Removable replacements for missing teeth
Complete dentures
Complete dentures replace all teeth in the upper or lower jaw with a removable appliance.
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Removable partial dentures
A removable partial denture fills gaps when some natural teeth remain.
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Implant-retained overdentures
An implant overdenture is a removable denture that attaches to implants for improved stability.
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Temporary flipper partial dentures
A dental flipper is a lightweight, removable temporary replacement for one or several missing teeth.
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Clear Essix retainers
A clear Essix-style retainer can hold a temporary replacement tooth while you heal or plan a longer-term option.
Read the guide ↗Extraction of teeth
Educational illustrations simplify clinical concepts and do not represent individualized treatment recommendations. Services requiring a specialist may be provided by an outside clinician.