CARIOLOGY: TERMINOLOGIES

Caries

Slow disintegration of any hard biological tissue due to bacterial action?

Hard Tissues

Tissues in dentition affected by caries?

Enamel, Dentin, Cementum

Hard tissues of dentition?

Infectious

Is caries infectious or contagious

cannot heal

Can enamel heal

Can heal

Can bone heal?

Oral Microflora

Microorganisms in the mouth

Converts sugar to acid

Role of bacteria in developing caries

Coronal and Root

Classification of Caries?

Anatomical Crown

Part of dentition covered in enamel

Anatomical Root

Part of dentition covered by cementum

Clinical Crown

Part of dentition exposed in the oral cavity

Clinical Root

Part of dentition hidden in Oral Cavity

Coronal Caries

Any part of anatomical crown affected with caries

Root Caries

Any part of anatomical root affected by caries

Smooth surface, Pits and Fissures, Occlusal, Proximal

Classifications of Coronal Caries

Smooth surface caries

Caries affecting the labial, buccal, or lingual smooth surfaces of the crown

Pits and Fissures caries

Caries located in pits and fissures

Occlusal Caries

Caries located in the occlusal part of the crown

Proximal Caries

Caries affecting the mesial and distal surfaces of the crown

Enamel and Dentin Caries

Caries according to affected tissue?

Cavitated Caries

Caries lesion resulting in breaking of integrity of tooth or cavitation

Non-Cavitated

“White Spot Lesions”, or caries lesion that hasn’t been cavitated

Secondary/Recurrent Caries

Caries lesion adjacent to an existing restoration, crown or sealant

Residual Caries

Caries not completely excavated prior to restoration?

Primary Caries

Caries not adjacent to an existing restoration

Active Caries

Biologically active, tooth demineralization has frank activity upon examination

Inactive Caries

Also known as Arrested Caries, a caries lesion that is biologically inactive upon examination

Rampant Caries

Multiple active and cavitated caries in a single oral cavity