Prevention is always better than a cure. Modern dentistry is aimed at the minimisation and prevention of future disease where possible through education, correcting risk factors and minimal intervention techniques. A lot of dental diseases such as tooth decay, gum disease, dental erosion, and grinding/clenching/jaw pain can be identified early and treated through minimally invasive techniques (no drilling or injections) to prevent the need for more aggressive treatment methods (drilling and filling, or even worse tooth extraction) down the track. For this reason, a regular checkup with a dental professional is very important as early signs of disease can easily be missed at home as there is often no associated symptoms until lt is too late!