Open Access Online OnlyClinical SnapshotsDOI: 10.3238/dzz-int.2020.0030-0032Seiten: 30, Sprache: EnglischJacker-Guhr, SilkeCaries is the most common non-contagious disease worldwide. It has a higher prevalence in people of lower socioeconomic status [17, 34]. Deep carious lesions are defined as defects that extend radiologically into the inner third or quarter of dentin. This is where the pulp is at risk of exposure. When the remaining dentin thickness decreases towards the pulp, the risk of pathogenic changes in the pulp increases. In daily practice, however, it is often difficult to assess the remaining dentin thickness close to the pulp and to decide when and with which preparation a "dentin wound treatment" should be performed [21, 32]. For this reason, it is useful to consider pulp symptoms when making a diagnosis and to leave some infected dentin behind near to the pulp if there is a risk of pulp exposure. The primary aim of treating deep carious lesions is always to avoid exposing the pulp and to keep it healthy and vital. Thus, the purpose of dentin wound care is manifold; it is to protect the pulp from further exogenous noxae (such as residual monomers or thermal damage caused by light polymeri¬zation when using the adhesive technique), from toxins of microorganisms (such as lipopolysaccharides), to eradicate bacteria, as well as to stimulate the formation of reactive dentin. Furthermore, the outflow of dentinal fluid from the dentin tubules should be avoided.