Risk Classification: The high
risk patient (caries active or inactive).
- Host Factors:
- Has cavitated lesion and may have some (active or inactive)
white spots. Check past dental and medical history.
- DMF high, D = greater than 1, cavitated lesion.
- Note which
surfaces are involved.
- Fluoride intake may be low.
- Check salivary flow rate.
Diet Factors:
Bacterial Factors:
-
Commercial chairside
ms test is of limited value since it has
low sensitivity (does not identify true positive very well), but has a fairly
good specificity (dentifies patient with low ms levels). Thus, it has a
use clinically for assessing success of treatment to lower the ms levels
to acceptable levels. The most reliable ms test is available through bacteriological
testing labs, but these can be very expensive. Knowing ms levels is important
for caries assessment and monitoring caries activity.
- While we are interested in the ms levels, knowing
lactobacilli salivary levels will provide additional information for
assessing caries risk. .
Classify patient as caries active or inactive:
- Use appearance and texture of cavitated lesions (see clinical
exam), which surfaces are involved and clinical assessment.
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