INTERPRETATION
OF DENTAL CARIES
DRG. SHANTY CHAIRANI
DENTAL CARIES
Bitewing Film
Periapical film
Panoramic (but it has a limited diagnostic value)
Factors affecting
appearance of caries:
Buccolingual thickness of tooth.
The thicker the tooth, the more
difficult it is to see the extent of the
caries.
Two-dimensional film. Cannot see
the extent of carious involvement
in a buccolingual direction.
Caries Classification
I
I = Incipient (Stage I)
M = Moderate (Stage II)
A = Advanced (Stage III)
S = Severe (Stage IV)
Incipient
Moderate
Advanced
Interproximal Caries
(Incipient)
I
Up to half the thickness of enamel
Usually not restored unless patient
has high level of caries activity (high
risk). Treat with fluoride.
Interproximal Caries
(Moderate)
Interproximal Caries
(Advanced)
Advanced lesion
Interproximal Caries
(Severe)
Severe lesion
Severe lesion
Occlusal Caries
Must have penetrated into dentin
Diagnosed from clinical exam
May be seen as thin radiolucent
line or cup-shaped zone underlying
occlusal enamel, but difficult to see
on radiographs unless lesion is
large.
Occlusal caries
Occlusal caries
Buccal/Lingual Caries
Root Caries
Root caries
Root caries
Cervical Burnout
o
Cervical burnout
bone level
Recurrent Caries
Radiolucency extends into the
dentin (with/without extends to pulp)
adjacent to an existing restoration.
May be due to unusual susceptibility
to caries, poor oral hygiene, failure
to remove all of the caries during
cavity preparation, a defective
restoration or a combination of the
above.
Recurrent caries
Recurrent caries
Rampant Caries
Extensive and rapidly
progressing caries usually found
in children and teens with poor
diet and inadequate oral hygiene
Radiation Caries
Found in head/neck
radiation therapy patients
with xerostomia
Fluoride used for control
Before radiation
Mach Band
Optical illusion giving appearance of increased
radiolucency at the junction of differing tissue
densities, such as enamel and dentin. If you
block off the enamel with a fingernail, the
radiolucency will disappear if due to the mach
band effect. If the radiolucency persists, it may
be caries.