The early enamel carious lesion

Abstract

The dental enamel comprises an outer aprismatic layer, a thick prismatic zone, and inner aprismatic enamel. Under the dental plaque, the initial carious lesion displays a surface zone, characteristic of the lesion, a subsurface (or body of the lesion), a dark zone, and a translucent zone. The major phenomenon of the initial enamel caries is the formation of a surface zone, resulting from the demineralization/remineralization processes. Anatomical entities such as rod endings at the enamel surface and Retzius striae play major roles in the initiation and development of the lesion. Enamel caries start by a central demineralization of rods, enlargement of enamel sheaths, and the formation of tunnels crossing the surface zone. The cone-shaped structure reaches the dentinoenamel junction, and the lesion spreads into dentin. The destruction occurs along the dentinoenamel junction and decreased the thickness of the mantle dentin.