Dental Caries Flashcards
What is the cure to caries?
There is no cure, only prevention.
When is dental caries reversible?
Early stages before cavity forms
What is treatments used for caries?
Simple restoration
replacement
root canal
extraction
What is caries?
A plaque-related disease, dependant on the presence of simple sugars in the diet, driven by frequency of eating simple carbohydrates, modified by fluoride, salivary-flow and composition of saliva.
What causes caries?
Time
substrate (sugar)
bacteria (plaque)
susceptible tooth surface
What does the treatment of dental caries depend on?
Signs and symptoms
Damage done
Patient preferences
Cost
Time
Where is plaque formation usually most common?
Pits and fissures
interproximal
smooth surfaces
root surface
What is secondary caries?
When a secondary carie forms on top of or around a previous filling
How can dentists increase your risk of caries?
Around margins of restorations
Plastic restorations
crowns/bridges/inlays/onlays
around orthodontic appliances
around removable partial dentures
What does latrogenic mean?
Illnesses caused by the medical professional
What decreases the chance of caries?
Reduce intake of sugars
Remove the plaque
Increase exposure to fluoride
tip balance towards remineralisation
What is the difference between primary and secondary caries?
Primary caries is the term used to describe caries lesions developing on intact, natural tooth surfaces, as opposed to secondary or recurrent caries, which develops next to an existing restoration
What is coronal caries?
Caries that are found on chewing surfaces/the crown of the teeth
Where are posterior interproximal caries found?
In between your back teeth
Where are anterior interproximal caries found?
In between your front teeth
