Which caries type is usually detected earlier clinically than radiographically and shows early radiographic evidence as a thin radiolucent line beneath enamel?

• A. Occlusal caries
• B. Proximal caries
• C. Root caries
• D. Recurrent caries

Answer: (A)

Occlusal caries progress on the chewing surfaces in pits and fissures, where the surface often looks intact early on. That makes them more likely to be picked up by careful clinical examination—visual inspection and tactile probing—before a radiograph can reveal them. When X-rays do show the lesion, the first sign is usually a slender radiolucent line just beneath the enamel along the fissure, reflecting initial demineralization under the surface. This combination—early clinical detectability and a subtle radiographic cue beneath enamel—fits occlusal caries well.