Clinical Manifestations
Early caries may be asymptomatic, detected only by clinical examination or radiography.
As caries progresses into dentin, patients experience sensitivity to sweet foods, cold temperatures, and sometimes heat.
Advanced caries approaching the pulp causes spontaneous pain, prolonged pain after thermal stimuli, and pain that disturbs sleep.
Clinical signs include visible cavitation, brown or black discoloration, softened tooth structure on probing, and radiographic evidence of radiolucency.