Lecture 1

Question 1

Definition of Dental Caries

Answer 1

A multifactorial disease involving many complex risk and protective factors.

Dental caries is a localized chemical dissolution of the tooth surface caused by metabolic events taking place in the biofilm covering the affected area.

Question 2

Pierre Fauchard

Answer 2

Father of Modern Dentistry

First to reject worm idea. Sugar = detrimental to teeth and gingiva.

Question 3

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Answer 3

Father of Microbiology

First to document microscopic observations of muscle fibers, bacteria, spermatozoa, RBC, etc.

Question 4

Wiloughby D. Miller

Answer 4

First Oral Microbiologist

Formulated Chemo-parasitic theory of caries.

Question 5

Caries Causation

Answer 5

Caused by acids produced by oral bacteria following fermentation of sugars.

Non-specific plaque hypothesis: Caries due to collective acidogenic properties of plaque bacteria.

Question 6

Robert Koch

Answer 6

Koch’s postulates

Question 7

Paul H. Keyes

Answer 7

NIH Researcher

Question 8

Keyes Triad

Answer 8

Host, Diet, Microbes = Caries

Question 9

Ecological Plaque Hypothesis

Answer 9

Disease is from imbalance in total microflora due to ecological stress, resulting in an enrichment of some “oral pathogens” or disease-related micro-organisms.

Question 10

Primary Caries

Answer 10

Lesions on natural, intact tooth surfaces

Question 11

Recurrent / secondary caries

Answer 11

Lesions that develop adjacent to a filling

Question 12

Residual caries

Answer 12

Demineralized tissue that has been left behind before a filling is placed

Question 13

Hidden caries

Answer 13

Lesions in dentin that are missed on visual examination but are large enough to be detected radiographically

Question 14

Rampant caries

Answer 14

Multiple active carious lesions in the same patient

Question 15

Non-cavitated lesion

Answer 15

Caries lesion with the surface still intact. This lesion is potentially reversible by chemical means, or arrestable by chemical or mechanical means. It is sometimes referred to as an incipient, initial or early lesion.

Question 16

Cavitated lesion

Answer 16

Caries lesion with a surface that is not macroscopically intact, with a distinct discontinuity or break in the surface integrity, as determined by visual or tactile means.

Question 17

Active caries lesion

Answer 17

A lesion considered to be progressing, that is you anticipate that the lesion would have developed further at a subsequent examination if not interfered with at that time.

Question 18

Inactive or arrested caries lesion

Answer 18

Caries lesion that may have formed years previously and then stopped further progress. Sometimes they are called chronic or remineralized lesions.

Question 19

G.V. Black

Answer 19

Father of Operative Dentistry

Wants to move to practicing prevention over reparative dentistry.