Cariology: Concepts, Terminologies, and Theories

Question 1

An infectious and transmissible disease caused by bacteria colonizing the tooth surfaces

Answer 1

Dental caries

Question 2

Theory of dental caries that emerged during the 17th and 18th centuries and says that the teeth are destroyed by acids formed in the oral cavity by the fermentation process of food particles around the teeth

Answer 2

Chemical (Acid) Theory

Question 3

What theory stated that microorganisms caused the carious process through their toxic and destructive effects of dental tissues?

Answer 3

Parasitic (Septic) Theory

Question 4

In the parasitic theory, what are the filamentous microorganisms in the enamel cuticle and in carious lesions caused decomposition of the enamel and dentin?

Answer 4

Denticolae

Question 5

Acidogenic theory suggested by Miller that states caries was caused by a variety of microorganisms and the acids they produced.

Answer 5

W.D. Miller’s Chemicoparasitic Theory

Question 6

Theory that states the organic portion of the tooth plays an important role in development of caries.

Answer 6

Proteolytic theory

Question 7

Bacterial destruction of the organic components of enamel and the breakdown of products of these components have chelating properties and thereby dissolve the minerals in the enamel even at the neutral/alkaline pH

Answer 7

Proteolysis Chelation Theory

Question 8

Complex multifactorial diseases involving interactions among tooth structure, oral microbial biofilm, dietary carbohydrates, and salivary and genetic influences.

Answer 8

Dental Caries

Question 9

Clinically referred to as dental plaque

Answer 9

Dental biofilm

Question 10

A consortium of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular polymeric matrix that adhere to a tooth surface

Answer 10

Dental biofilm

Question 11

Clinical sign of caries that can be categorized according to their anatomical location on the tooth, their severity, depth of penetration into the tissue, and their activity statues

Answer 11

Caries lesion

Question 12

Substrates or microorganisms capable of promoting dental caries

Answer 12

Cariogenic

Question 13

Substances or procedures capable of arresting dental caries

Answer 13

Cariostatic

Question 14

Loss of tooth mineral due to acids

Answer 14

Demineralization

Question 15

Net gain of mineral in previously demineralized tissue

Answer 15

Remineralization

Question 16

pH at which a substance begins to demineralize

Answer 16

Critical pH

Question 17

Caries with a prevalence of 34.1%

Answer 17

Untreated caries on permanent teeth

Question 18

Caries with a prevalence of 7.8%

Answer 18

Untreated caries on deciuous teeth

Question 19

Refers to caries in children under the age of six

Answer 19

Early childhood caries

Question 20

Number/proportion of individuals with caries in a given population at a specific threshold, at a designated point in time

Answer 20

Caries prevalance

Question 21

Number/proportion of individuals with new or progressing caries at a specified threshold in a given population, detected during a given period

Answer 21

Caries incidence

Question 22

Number of teeth/surfaces that have caries lesions (at a specific threshold), accumulated by an individual, up to a designated point in time

Answer 22

Caries experience

Question 23

Probability that caries lesions will appear or progress if conditions remain the same within a stated period of time

Answer 23

Caries ris

Question 24

Probability that caries lesions will appear or progress if conditions remain the same within a stated period of time

Answer 24

Caries risk

Question 25

Chronic diseases not passed from person to person

Answer 25

Non-communicable disease

Question 26

Affected by the depth, extent, and shape of the anatomical grooves and fissures

Answer 26

Pit and Fissures

Question 27

Usually begins just below the contact area for proximal caries and is preceded by the accumulation of dental plaque.

Answer 27

Smooth surface caries

Question 28

Relatively rapid progression, usually asymptomatic, closer to the pulp, and difficult to restore

Answer 28

Root surface caries

Question 29

Subsurface demineralization but with intact enamel surface

Answer 29

Incipient caries

Question 30

Presence of visual breakdown on the tooth surface and requires restorative intevertion

Answer 30

Cavitated lesion

Question 31

Dentinal caries found radiographically below apparently sound occlusal surface

Answer 31

Hidden caries

Question 32

Caries lesion considered to be biologically active, and the tooth demineralization is in frank activity at the time of examination

Answer 32

Active caries lesion

Question 33

Caries that has become static, showing no tendency for further progression

Answer 33

Inactive/Arrested caries

Question 34

Eburnated dentin (harder, dark, brown)

Answer 34

Sclerotic dentin

Question 35

Presence of extensive and multiple cavitated and active caries lesion on the same person, and typically used in association with 'baby bottle caries', 'radiation therapy caries', or 'meth mouth caries'

Answer 35

Rampant caries

Question 36

Initial location of the lesion is on the tooth surface and is not adjacent of an existing restoration or crown

Answer 36

Primary caries

Question 37

Recurrent caries that occurs on the margins/walls of esisting tooth restorations

Answer 37

Secondary caries

Question 38

Carious tissue that was not completely excavated prior to placing a restoration

Answer 38

Residual caries

Question 39

Caries lesion in enamel, indicating that the lesion has not penetrated into dentin

Answer 39

Enamel caries

Question 40

Caries lesion extending into dentin

Answer 40

Dentin caries

Question 41

Father of operative dentistry and one of the founders of modern dentistry in the US

Answer 41

Greene Vardiman Black (GV Black)

Question 42

Commonly the first type of caries to appear in the mouth, affecting the pits and fissures on occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth, lingual surfaces of Mx molars, Buccal surfaces of Md molars, and lingual pits of upper anterior teeth

Answer 42

Class I

Question 43

Involves the proximal surfaces of posterior teeth, usually initiates just below contact area, and related to plaque accumulation in the non-self-cleansing areas

Answer 43

Class II

Question 44

Involves the proximal surfaces of anterior teeth but without the involvement of the incisal angle

Answer 44

Class III

Question 45

Affects the proximal surfaces of incisal angle of anterior teeth

Answer 45

Class IV

Question 46

Caries affecting the cervical third of either the labial/buccal or lingual surfaces of any tooth

Answer 46

Class V

Question 47

Simon's modification; involved the cusp tip of posterior teeth or the incisal tip of anterior teeth

Answer 47

Class VI