The Natural History of Dental Caries Lesions
- 19 July 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Dental Research
- Vol. 91 (9), 841-846
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034512455030
Abstract
Dental caries is a ubiquitous disease affecting all age groups and segments of the population. It is known that not all caries lesions progress to cavitation, but little is known regarding the progression pattern of caries lesions. This study’s purpose was to evaluate the natural history of dental caries using a standardized, visually based system, the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). The study population consisted of 565 consenting children, who were enrolled and examined at baseline and at regular intervals over 48 months with ICDAS and yearly bitewing radiographs. Of these, 338 children completed all examinations. Not all lesions cavitated at the same rate, differing by surface type and baseline ICDAS severity score and activity status. With increasing severity, the percentage of lesions progressing to cavitation increased: 19%, 32%, 68%, and 66% for ICDAS scores 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Lesions on occlusal surfaces were more likely to cavitate, followed by buccal pits, lingual grooves, proximal surfaces, and buccal and lingual surfaces. Cavitation was more likely on molars, followed by pre-molars and anterior teeth. Predictors of cavitation included age, gender, surfaces and tooth types, and ICDAS severity/activity at baseline. In conclusion, characterization of lesion severity with ICDAS can be a strong predictor of lesion progression to cavitation.This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Risk Factors of Caries Progression in a Hispanic School-aged PopulationJournal of Dental Research, 2011
- Use of ICDAS Combined with Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence as a Caries Detection MethodCaries Research, 2010
- Dental caries experience and association to risk indicators of remote rural populationsInternational Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 2008
- Reproducibility and Accuracy of the ICDAS-II for Detection of Occlusal Caries in vitroCaries Research, 2008
- Psychosocial factors and early childhood caries among low‐income African–American children in DetroitCommunity Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 2007
- Risk indicators for dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 2007
- Detection and Activity Assessment of Primary Coronal Caries Lesions: A Methodologic StudyOperative Dentistry, 2007
- Dietary Patterns Related to Caries in a Low-Income Adult PopulationCaries Research, 2006
- Explaining sex differences in dental caries prevalence: Saliva, hormones, and “life‐history” etiologiesAmerican Journal of Human Biology, 2006
- Caries Rates for the Mesial Surface of the First Permanent Molar and the Distal Surface of the Second Primary Molar from 6 to 12 Years of Age in SwedenCaries Research, 2000