Introduction to Dental Caries Flashcards
what are the three common oral diseases
caries
periodontal disease
oral mucosal disease
what is the coronal surface of the tooth
the surface of the tooth you can see - the enamel
what does it mean to say that caries is non communicable
it cannot be spread as it is not infectious
what is caries
- tooth decay
- disease of the hard tissues of the teeth
- demineralisation of the hard tissues resulting in a clinically detectable lesion
what is a lesion
any structural change in a bodily part resulting from injury or disease
what causes caries
dietary sugars that are broken down by microorganisms in the biofilm on a tooth surface which produces acids that over time demineralise tooth enamel
what does it mean to describe dental caries as a dynamic prcess
chemical dissolution brought about by metabolic activity in a microbial deposit covering a tooth surface at any given time
what are the main sites of dental caries
coronal and root
which surfaces are coronal
smooth surface
interproximal
pits and fissures
how can the activity of caries be classified
as active or inactive
what are the three stages of caries
initial
moderate
extensive
what are the two relationships that caries can have with existing restorations
primary and secondary
what is primary caries
this affects unrestored tooth tissue
what is secondary caries
this affects the margin of an existing restoration
what are the regional variations of healthy enamel
- surface enamel is more mineralised and harder than deeper enamel
- hardness decreases from cusp tip to cervical region
- these properties have functional and clinical significance
