Table 1.
Codes and descriptions of the hierarchically ordered caries assessment spectrum treatment (CAST) epidemiological instrument, including disease status11
| Characteristic | Disease status | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Healthy | 0 | No visible evidence of a distinct carious lesion is present |
| Sealant | Healthy | 1 | Pits and/or fissures are at least partially covered with a sealant material |
| Restoration | Healthy | 2 | A cavity is restored with an (in)direct restorative material |
| Enamel | (Pre)morbidity | 3 | Distinct visual change in enamel only. A clear caries-related discoloration is visible, with or without localised enamel breakdown |
| Dentine | Morbidity | 4 | Internal caries-related discoloration in dentine. The discolored dentine is visible through enamel, which may or may not exhibit a visible localised breakdown of enamel |
| Morbidity | 5 | Distinct cavitation into dentine. The pulp chamber is intact | |
| Pulp | Severe morbidity | 6 | Involvement of pulp chamber. Distinct cavitation reaching the pulp chamber or only root fragments are present |
| Abscess/fistula | Severe morbidity | 7 | A pus-containing swelling or a pus-releasing sinus tract related to a tooth with pulpal involvement |
| Lost | Mortality | 8 | The tooth has been removed because of dental caries |
| Other | 9 | Does not correspond to any of the other descriptions |