
How to tell if it's arrested/ or affected dentin
Here's the thing I'm a dentistry student, and my mom her restoration fell out, she was using toothpick to pick up some dislodged food, as I told her time and time again to not use toothpick, anyways -- it fell out. Upon checking her tooth, did some exploring, the site was shiny, brown, and hard. It could be just affected dentin left by the dentist, or arrested caries, since Arrested Dentin/Enamel Caries could be brown and hard and shiny. Now the prepared cavity is already deep, 1mm left of the occlusal margin, of course drilling would be a no- no restoration is just not possible. But if it was just affected dentin, I could just etch-bond-composite it without drilling. I am stuck. I want to apply my knowledge to practice, but easier to answer in paper than to tell in person. Thank you Doctors!