UNDERMINED CARIES
When a caries progress from a very small cavity and reaches the enamel-dentin junction, caries may spread laterally along the junction. Sound enamel appears to be undermined by the carious process in dentin. It usually happened at the proximal (side) surface of a tooth, started from a demineralised spot underneath the contact point with adjacent tooth.
Before the enamel layer fracture, we won't feel any cavity at all. As the caries progress, the undermined enamel become brittle and can be fractured producing a large cavity.
Undermined caries at distal surface of upper first premolarA large caries cavity found inside the undermined enamelAfter remove the caries, clean and disinfected with 0.12% chlorhexidineA sectional matrix use to contour the tooth structure during restorationThe cavity restore with resin composite, start with the outer layerFollow by filling of the inner dentinThen restored the occlusal enamel layerFinal occlusal check and polished
