Stages of Dental Caries

A cavity is a journey from the outer enamel to the living nerve. Each stage has its own signs, its own treatment, and its own price - in money and in pain.

Stage 1: The white spot (reversible)

• Acid has begun dissolving enamel mineral, leaving a chalky white (or brown) patch
• No hole, no pain - and this stage can genuinely heal: fluoride, less sugar frequency and better brushing let saliva re-mineralise the enamel
• The only stage where no drilling is ever needed

Stage 2: Enamel cavitation

• The surface breaks; a small hole forms, still within enamel
• Usually still painless; treatment is a small, quick, inexpensive filling

Stage 3: Dentin decay

• Decay reaches the softer layer under enamel and moves faster - dentin is less mineralised
• Sensitivity to cold, sweet and hot begins; food catches in the hole
• Treatment is still a filling, but bigger - delay here shortens the tooth's future

Stage 4: Pulp involvement (pulpitis)