Symptoms and signs of recurrent (secondary) caries
When your patient is diagnosed with recurrent caries under an existing restoration (also known as secondary caries) the earlier you spot it the betterāonly problem is, since recurrent caries occur under existing dental restorations, they can be difficult to diagnose. Ā It is not uncommon for secondary caries to go unnoticed until they are severe, which can cause more pain for the patient and more work for you.
So how do you diagnose secondary caries? It is most often located on the gingival margins of Class II through V restorations (rarely have they been diagnosed on Class I restorations)3, and you might see a visually graying look, a translucent area on the radiograph or find an area that is hypersensitive. The diagnosis can be difficult, and it is important to differentiate recurrent carious lesions from stained margins on resin-based composite restorations. One tool you can use to diagnose recurrent caries is theĀ SmartLiteĀ® Pro. It features an additional transillumination tip you can use as a diagnostic aid for the visualization of interproximal caries.