Functional profiles of coronal and dentin caries in children.

: Dental caries results from a dysbiosis of tooth-associated biofilms and frequently extends through enamel into dentin which has a different structure and composition. : To evaluate the metatranscriptome of caries to determine the metabolic potential of caries communities compared with health. : Samples from children, caries-free (CF:  = 4) or with coronal (CC:  = 5) or dentin (DC:  = 5) caries were examined for gene expression potential.