Smooth surface caries commonly occur on which surfaces?

• A. Buccal and Lingual
• B. Proximal
• C. Occlusal
• D. Root

Answer: (A)

Smooth-surface caries develop on enamel surfaces that lack pits and grooves, so they form on broad, flat areas where plaque can continuously contact enamel. Among these surfaces, the buccal (facial) and lingual surfaces are the classic sites because they are large, relatively smooth planes that are easy for plaque to persist on when brushing isn’t thorough. Proximal surfaces are also smooth in a sense, but caries there are classified as proximal caries due to their location between teeth and the unique plaque-retention dynamics at contact points; occlusal surfaces are more prone to pit-and-fissure caries because of their grooves. Root caries involve the cementum/dentin of the root surfaces, a different substrate altogether. So, smooth-surface caries most commonly occur on the buccal and lingual surfaces.