THE LOCATION OF CLINICALLY DIAGNOSED SECONDARY CARIES

Objective: This practice-based study involved private practitioners wh o reported on the location of 1,100 sites of clinically diagnosed seco ndary caries. Method and materials: The secondary caries was noted on schematic diagrams on which the clinicians made an outline of the rest oration and marked the location of the caries with a red pen. The seco ndary caries was classified as being located gingivally, occlusally/in cisally, or at any other location of the restoration. Results: Overall , 80% to 90% of the clinically diagnosed secondary caries was reported to be located gingivally, irrespective of the type of restoration or restorative material employed. Class II restorations, analyzed separat ely, showed a slightly higher-relative proportion of occlusal secondar y caries on resin composite (16%) than on amalgam (8%) restorations. C onclusion: A number of patient, operator, and material factors may con tribute to the development of secondary caries and in the differential diagnosis of marginal discrepancies, including secondary caries, at t he gingival area of restorations.