The Classes Of Cavities
Dental professionals use a specific classification system to assess them. There are six classes of cavities based on the tooth type and location of the decay, as well as four classifications that describe the severity of decay.
Dr. G.V. Black, an American dentist, classified tooth cavities over 100 years ago, still used by dentists today.
Class I cavities are on tooth surfaces seen by your dentist easily. These are cavities on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth such as molars and premolars, and decay on the front or back surfaces of the front teeth.
Class II cavities are not visible to the naked eye. They occur on the surfaces between the molars and premolars.
Class III cavities do not involve the cutting edges of the teeth, and like Class II are not easily seen. They are found on the surfaces between the front teeth.
Class IV cavities also occurs on the surfaces between the front teeth, but it involves the teeth’s cutting edges
Class V cavities appear on the front or back of either front or back teeth, near the gumline.
Class VI decay is found on the top surfaces of the teeth, either the incisal edges of front teeth or on the cusp tips of back teeth.
Dentists evaluate tooth decay based on how far the damage has penetrated these layers of tissue.
Incipient decay is attributed to cavities that have gone less than halfway through the tooth’s enamel.
Moderate decay is when cavities go more than halfway through the enamel, but don’t yet reach the dentinoenamel junction (DEJ), which is the boundary between enamel and dentin.
Advanced decay is when cavities go through the DEJ, but go less than half the distance to the pulp chamber.
Severe decay has penetrated through the enamel, dentin and goes more than half the distance to the pulp.
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