| root caries index | The ratio of the number of teeth with carious lesions of the root, and/or restorations of the root, to the number of teeth with exposed root surfaces. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| pit and fissure caries | Caries initiated in the areas where developmental pits and fissures are located on the tooth surface. (05 Mar 2000) |
| colourimetric caries susceptibility test | A colourimetric test for determining dental caries activity or susceptibility based on the rate of acid production by acidogenic oral microorganisms (e.g., lactobacillus) in a glucose medium, using bromcresol green as the indicator, and producing a colour change from green to yellow. Synonym: colourimetric caries susceptibility test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pit caries | A carious lesion, usually small, beginning in a pit on the labial, buccal, lingual, or occlusal surface of a tooth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| compound caries | Caries involving more than one surface of a tooth, two or more carious lesions joined to form one cavity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary caries | Initial lesions produced by direct extension from an external surface. (05 Mar 2000) |
| proximal caries | Caries occurring in the proximal surface, either distal or mesial, of a tooth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| secondary caries | Caries of enamel beginning at the dento-enamel junction due to a rapid lateral spread of decay from the original decay. (05 Mar 2000) |
| senile dental caries | Caries occurring in old age, usually interproximally and in the cementum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth surface caries | Caries initiated on the smooth surfaces of teeth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nursing bottle caries | Rampant caries of the primary dentition associated with the habitual use, after age 1, of a baby bottle as an aid for sleeping. Synonym: baby bottle syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| def caries index | An index of past caries experience based upon the number of decayed, extracted, and filled deciduous (indicated by lower case letters) or permanent (indicated by capital letters) teeth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dental caries | <dentistry> Erosion and decay of the tooth caused by the effects of bacteria in the mouth. (27 Sep 1997) |
| df caries index | An index of past caries experience based upon the number of decayed and filled deciduous (indicated by lower case letters) or permanent (indicated by capital letters) teeth. Synonym: df, DF. (05 Mar 2000) |
| distal caries | Loss of structure on the tooth surface that is directed away from the median plane of the dental arch. (05 Mar 2000) |