The effect of dental caries on the overall quality of health and wellbeing has not been well studied. This disease and its sequelae can cause significant pain and are expensive to treat. The burden of dental caries lasts a lifetime because once the tooth structure is destroyed it will usually need restoration and additional maintenance throughout life. In developing countries, where the prevalence of dental caries is low and the disease clusters on occlusal surfaces of a few teeth, the costs of treatment are higher than can be met by the funds available for