Chapter 33: Interpretation of Dental Caries

Question 1

Define the term: interproximal

Answer 1

between two adjacent surfaces

Question 2

What intraoral image is ideal for diagnosing caries?

Answer 2

bite-wing image

Question 3

Define the term: vital

Answer 3

living

Question 4

Define the term: interproximal moderate caries

Answer 4

caries located between two teeth that extends more than halfway through the thickness of the enamel but does not involve the dentino-enamel junction (appears radiolucent)

Question 5

Define the term: interproximal incipient caries

Answer 5

caries located between two teeth that extends less than halfway through the thickness of the enamel (appears radiolucent)

Question 6

Define the term: intraoral

Answer 6

inside the mouth

Question 7

Define the term: vertical bite-wing

Answer 7

the bite-wing receptor is placed in the mouth with the long portion of the receptor in a vertical direction

Question 8

Define the term: bite-wing image

Answer 8

intraoral image that is used to examine the interproximal surfaces of teeth

Question 9

Define the term: adjacent / proximal

Answer 9

objects next to/touching each other

Question 10

Define the term: opposing

Answer 10

maxillary and mandibular teeth that occlude together

Question 11

Define the term: radiolucency

Answer 11

an area on a dental image appears radiolucent ((dark/black) due to readily allowing the passage of the x-ray beam so that more x-rays reach the image receptor

Question 12

Define the term: facial / labial

Answer 12

the tooth surface towards the cheek/lips on anterior teeth

Question 13

Define the term: overlapped contacts

Answer 13

on a dental image, the area where the contact area of one tooth is superimposed over the contact areas of an adjacent tooth

Question 14

Define the term: cavitation / cavity

Answer 14

a hole in a tooth that results from the caries process (appears radiolucent)

Question 15

Define the term: occlusal severe caries

Answer 15

caries located on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth that extends into dentin (appears as a large radiolucency)

Question 16

Define the term: cervical burnout

Answer 16

a radiolucent artifact seen on dental images between the cemento-enamel junction and the alveolar bone

Question 17

Moderate interproximal caries are seen on what tooth surface(s)?

Answer 17

enamel

Question 18

Define the term: incipient

Answer 18

small, or beginning to exist or appear

Question 19

Define the term: incisal

Answer 19

the chewing edge of anterior teeth

Question 20

Define the term: lingual caries

Answer 20

caries located on the lingual tooth surface (appears radiolucent)

Question 21

Advanced interproximal caries are seen on what tooth surface(s)?

Answer 21

enamel and dentin

Question 22

Define the term: interproximal examination

Answer 22

an intraoral inspection used to examine the crowns of both maxillary and mandibular teeth on a single image

Question 23

Define the term: caries

Answer 23

tooth decay caused by microorganisms (appears radiolucent)

Question 24

Define the term: rampant

Answer 24

growing or spreading unchecked

Question 25

Define the term: occlusal moderate caries

Answer 25

caries located on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth that extend into dentin *(appears as a thin radiolucent line)*

Question 26

Define the term: radiopacity / radiodensity

Answer 26

an area on a dental image appearing radiopaque *(light/white)* due to resisting the passage of the x-ray beam and limiting the amount of x-rays that reach the image receptor

Question 27

Define the term: buccal caries

Answer 27

caries located on the buccal tooth surface *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 28

Define the term: posterior

Answer 28

towards the back

Question 29

Define the term: dentition

Answer 29

the character of a set of teeth, including their number, kind, and location/arrangement

Question 30

Define the term: interproximal advanced caries

Answer 30

caries located between two teeth that extends to the dentino-enamel junction or through the dentino-enamel junction and into the dentin but does not extend through the dentin more than half the distance towards the pulp *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 31

Define the term: interpret

Answer 31

to offer an explanation

Question 32

Define the term: occlusal incipient caries

Answer 32

* caries located on the occlusal surface of posterior teeth * cannot be seen on a radiograph

Question 33

Define the term: buccal

Answer 33

the tooth surface towards the cheek on posterior teeth

Question 34

Define the term: posterior teeth

Answer 34

first and second premolars/bicuspids, and first, second and third molars

Question 35

Define the term: cervical / gingival

Answer 35

the tooth surface towards the gumline/cervical third area

Question 36

Define the term: maxillary teeth

Answer 36

teeth located in the maxilla or upper arch

Question 37

Incipient interproximal caries are seen on what tooth surface(s)?

Answer 37

enamel

Question 38

Define the term: pulp cavity

Answer 38

a cavity within a tooth that includes both the pulp chamber and the pulp canals, containing blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 39

Define the term: rampant caries

Answer 39

caries that affect numerous teeth in the dentition *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 40

Define the term: occlusal caries

Answer 40

caries located on the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 41

Define the term: nonvital

Answer 41

not living

Question 42

What tooth surfaces are affected by root surface caries?

Answer 42

dentin and cementum

Question 43

Define the term: contact areas

Answer 43

the areas where adjacent tooth surfaces touch each other

Question 44

Define the term: recurrent caries / secondary caries

Answer 44

caries located adjacent to a pre-existing restoration *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 45

Define the term: open contacts

Answer 45

on a dental image, appears as a thin radiolucent line between adjacent tooth surfaces

Question 46

Define the term: radiopaque

Answer 46

the portion of an image that is light or white, due to the structure resisting the passage of the x-ray beam and limiting the amount of x-rays that reach the receptor

Question 47

Define the term: horizontal bite-wing

Answer 47

the bite-wing receptor is placed in the mouth with the long portion of the receptor in a horizontal direction

Question 48

Define the term: anterior

Answer 48

towards the front

Question 49

Define the term: image interpretation

Answer 49

* an explanation of what is viewed on a dental image * the ability to read what is revealed by a dental image

Question 50

Define the term: dentin

Answer 50

the tooth layer found between the enamel and surrounding the pulp cavity *(appears radiopaque)*

Question 51

Define the term: interpretation

Answer 51

an explanation

Question 52

Define the term: distal

Answer 52

the tooth surface away from the midline of the mouth

Question 53

Define the term: interproximal severe caries

Answer 53

cares located between two teeth that extend through enamel, through dentin, and more than half the distance toward the pulp *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 54

Define the term: occlusal

Answer 54

the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth

Question 55

Define the term: pericoronal

Answer 55

around the crown of a tooth

Question 56

Define the term: anterior teeth

Answer 56

central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines/cuspids

Question 57

Define the term: dentino-enamel junction **(DEJ)**

Answer 57

the junction between the dentin and enamel of a tooth

Question 58

True or false: Incipient occlusal caries cannot be seen on an image.

Answer 58

True

Question 59

Define the term: lingual

Answer 59

the tooth surface towards the tongue

Question 60

Severe interproximal caries are seen on what tooth surface(s)?

Answer 60

enamel and dentin

Question 61

Define the term: radiolucent

Answer 61

the portion of an image that is dark or black, due to the structure readily permitting the passage of the x-ray beam and allowing more x-rays to reach the image receptor

Question 62

Define the term: interproximal caries

Answer 62

caries located between two adjacent teeth *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 63

Define the term: root surface caries

Answer 63

caries located on the root surfaces of teeth *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 64

Define the term: enamel

Answer 64

* the outermost layer of the crown of the tooth *(appears radiopaque)* * the densest structure in the human body

Question 65

Define the term: cementum

Answer 65

calcified connective tissue that covers the outer root surface of the tooth

Question 66

Define the term: mesial

Answer 66

the tooth surface towards the midline of the mouth

Question 67

Define the term: inter-radicular

Answer 67

between the roots of adjacent teeth

Question 68

Define the term: mandibular teeth

Answer 68

teeth located in the mandible or lower arch