Case reports and clinical trials conducted in various countries show, more and more frequently, a positive correlation between the presence of original teeth and prevalence of root caries in older age. Because this is a global trend, it is likely that the predicted increase in the worldwide elderly population may soon cause a significant increase in the number of people requiring effective means of preventing and treating root surface caries. In response to this development, a team of outstanding contributors has reviewed the most important aspects of root caries. This new volume presents their findings along with discussions of how to deal with this health issue that progressively affects the oral health balance. The chapters in this book are divided in four core parts: Epidemiology, Biological Determinants, Lesion Assessment and Features and Preventive and Operative Therapies. The collection of state-of-the-art articles provides a broad overview and will serve as a reference for clinicians as well as scientists and, hopefully, will encourage new research.

The word caries is derived from latin, meaning rot' or decay . It is similar to the Greek word ker meaning death. Dental caries is defined as an infectious microbiologic disease of the teeth that results in localized dissolution and destruction of calcified tissue. There is presently alarming rate of increase in the prevalence of dental caries in developing countries. Dental caries is a multi factorial disease in which there is an interaction between three principal factors, a. A susceptible Host tissue (b) Micro flora with a cariogenic potential (c) A suitable local substrate. In addition a, fourth factor time, must be consider. All the factor must be present and must interact with each other for dental caries develop. A variety of microbial factors have been associated with dental caries activity. Varies observation indicate that a causal relationship between Streptococcus Mutants and the development of the early carious lesion of enamel. Lactobacilli, however seem to be associated with dentinal caries and Actinomyces strain with root surface caries. The word epidemiology derived from the Greek word, Epidemic. Epi means upon, demos means people and logos means study or science."

Dental caries, despite significant reductions in some populations,continues to be a major public health problem, and is the most prevalentdisease affecting humans. However, even fundamental aspects of thepathogenesis of caries remain uncertain, calling for continuing scientific enquiry and the application of sophisticated techniques, from epidemiology to molecular biology. Although recent changes in the pattern of dental caries are identifiable, available data does not reveal whether, overall, caries is declining. The conference `Cariology in the Nineties', held at the University of Rochester in 1991, by focusing on the etiology, pathogenesis and prevention of dental caries, emphasised the need to co-ordinate research in monitoring populations worldwide, and to change the focus of research to reflect the changing epidemiology and patterns of dental disease. Contents: Keynote address; Epidemiolgy; Saliva; Teeth; Clinical studies; Microbiology/Plaque; Diet/Nutrition/Prevention. W.H. BOWEN is Professor and Chair, Department of Dental Research,University of Rochester. LAWRENCE A. TABAK is Professor of Dental Research and of Biochemistry, University of Rochester.

The second edition of Dental Caries: the Disease and its Clinical Management builds on the success of the prestigious first edition to present an unrivaled resource on cariology. The clinical thrust of the first edition is widened and strengthened to include coverage of the disease in all its variety, from eruption of the first primary tooth to the prevalent forms of the disease in older patients. The centrality of caries control and management to the dental health of all populations is further emphasized, as the book goes beyond the successful treatment of carious lesions to demonstrate the long-term consequences of the non-operative and therapeutic techniques employed.