Root caries in the dentin of the root may occur in patients with exposed root surfaces due to alveolar bone loss. What terms describe these lesions?

• A. Root, cervical, or cemental
• B. Proximal, occlusal, or facial-lingual
• C. Cervical burnout
• D. Incipient caries

Answer: (A)

When roots are exposed because of gum recession and bone loss, caries develop on the root surface where cementum and underlying dentin are accessible. The terms used to describe these lesions reflect both the location on the root and the tissue involved. Root caries highlights that the decay is on the root surface; cemental caries emphasizes decay in or on the cementum that covers the root; cervical caries points to the cervical region near the cemento–enamel junction where the root becomes exposed. Together, these labels capture where the lesion sits and what tissue is affected, which is important because root surfaces have different tissue composition and caries behavior than crown surfaces.

Other terms aren’t as accurate for this situation: descriptors like proximal, occlusal, or facial-lingual refer to crown surfaces; cervical burnout is a radiographic appearance, not a true lesion; and incipient caries denotes an early stage rather than a location on the root.