CSA Management of deep caries Flashcards
What is caries?
• disease of hard tissue of teeth characterised by demineralisation and proteolytic destruction of tissues by acids produced by bacteria in dental plaque feeding on dietary carbohydrates
How does an early lesion present itself?
- lesion may just reach ADJ
- clinical appearance may be brown (if stain) or white
- beginnings of a pulpal response:
What is the beginning of a pulpal response>
increased blood flow to the odontoblasts connected to the affected dentinal tubules
What is the main pulpal response?
- increasing fluid flow in dentinal tubular fluid
• Toxins are flushed away from the pulp
What does fluid contain?
immunoglobulins
• fluid carries calcium & phosphate to form a barrier
What does Ca and Ph. do on walls of tubules?
settle and form barrier, then sclerose and close up
What happens when sclerosis occurs?
dead tract form
What is the dentine response to caries?
dentine under lesion made at higher rate >reactionary/secondary dentine
- pulp chambers changes shape
- area between lesion and pulp incr.
How can an advancing lesion spread?
laterally at ADJ, enamel prisms undermined
What happens if you don’t tackle problem of lesion?
• pulp keep trying to produce more dentine >reach point where pulp is inflamed
o Toxins moving down dentinal tubules faster than fluid flow can push them back out
What happens beyond a threshold of pulpal injury?
lesion becomes irreversible
what happens when pulp dies?
cells die, C fibres are last cells to die ahah
What are good for seeing if caries is deep?
x rays
How to check if tooth is alive or dead?
if sensitive - alive long lasting throbbing -dead o Pain history How long have the symptoms lasted? o Examination (clinical) o Special tests o Radiographs
What are vitality tests?
• Electric pulp tests and ethyl chloride (cold)
What is wrong with vitality tests?
• get false positives >patient waiting for something to hurt
How to reach a diagnosis?
must decide if a tooth is alive &
o Healthy
o If its reversible pulpitis
o If its irreversible pulpitis