Video Lessons
G.V. Black Caries Classification (class I to VI) Over 100 years ago, Dr. G.V. Black (1836-1915) developed a system to categorize carious lesions based on the type of tooth affected (anterior or posterior tooth) and the location of the lesion (e.g. lingual, buccal, occlusal, etc.). The six classes of carious lesions according to G.V. Black are as follows:1 Class I: Cavity in pits or fissures on the occlusal surfaces of molars and premolars; facial and lingual surfaces of molars; lingual surfaces of maxillary incisors (Class I corresponds to surfaces of a posterior tooth you can clinically see-occlusal/lingual/buccal surfaces. Therefore, the interproximal surfaces are not classified as Class I) Class II: Cavity on proximal surfaces of premolars and molars (Class II corresponds to surfaces of a posterior tooth you cannot see clinically) Class III: Cavity on proximal surfaces of incisors and canines that do not involve the incisal angle (Class III corresponds to surfaces of an anterior tooth you cannot see clinically) Class IV: Cavity on proximal surfaces of incisors or canines that involve the incisal angle (Class IV lesion is the larger version of Class III that covers the incisal angle) Class V: Cavity on the cervical third of the facial or lingual surfaces of any tooth (Think of the neck of the tooth) Class VI: Cavity on incisal edges of anterior teeth and cusp tips of posterior teeth (Class VI corresponds to the very top surface of a tooth)