Conservative dental medicine

Caries is a bacterial-chemical process, which initially causes the tooth to lose mineral substances. The bacteria in the plaque form acid as a metabolic end product, which causes calcium phosphate to be released from the tooth's enamel. The weakened enamel further begins to crumble, causing the first small defect. The bacteria, which cause caries and form acid, can now demineralise the lower layers of hard dental substances. In this way, caries now moves further from the enamel to the dentin. Then, in the case of deep dentin caries, the acid and toxins of the bacteria can lead to an inflammation of the pulpa (pulpitis).

Caries can be subdivided according to the extent of the damage it has already caused. Caries initialis or caries superficialis occurs if the caries is located within the enamel. A caries affliction of the dentin is caries media or caries profunda, depending on the depth of the dentin caries.