title: The biology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental caries: scientific advances in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scientific advances in cariology in the past 150 years have led to the understanding that dental caries is a chronic, dietomicrobial, site-specific disease caused by a shift from protective factors favoring tooth remineralization to destructive factors leading to demineralization. Epidemiologic data indicate that caries has changed in the last century; it now is distributed unequally in the U.S. population. People who are minorities, homeless, migrants, children with disabilities and of lower socioeconomic status suffer from the highest prevalence and severity of dental caries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scientific advances have led to improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental caries, but there is a need for new diagnostic tools and treatment methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  and
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future management of dental caries requires early detection and risk assessment if the profession is to achieve timely and cost-effective prevention and treatment for those who need it most. Dental professionals look forward to the day when people of all ages and backgrounds view dental caries as a disease of the past.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry, 415 Lansing St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-2876, USA. dzero@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Domenick T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Zero
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: E Angeles
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Martínez-Mier
authors.forename: Andréa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira-Zandoná
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Cabezas
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayne
mesh_terms: D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000517:prevention & control; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012586:Science / Q000266:history; D014481:United States