30/01/2026
This is advanced dental caries seen from the inside.
The dark, destroyed area at the top is deep decay that has penetrated through the enamel and dentin. Beneath it lies the pulp — the living core of the tooth, rich in nerves and blood vessels — shown here inflamed and compromised.
At this depth, tooth decay is no longer a simple cavity. It becomes infection, inflammation, and structural failure.
Once bacteria reach the pulp:
• Pain may be absent, mild, or delayed
• Infection can spread beyond the tooth
• The risk of abscess formation increases
• Treatment becomes significantly more complex
At this stage, a simple filling is no longer enough.
Management typically requires root canal therapy or extraction — both far more invasive, costly, and time-sensitive than early care.
Dental caries is preventable and detectable in its early stages. But when it progresses silently to this depth, treatment is no longer simple — it is damage control.
