Which classification describes smooth surfaces near the gumline?

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Caries are classified by where they occur on the tooth, and there is a category for decay that appears on the flat, smooth surfaces near the gumline. This wording points to smooth-surface caries, which develop on facial or lingual surfaces close to the gingival margin rather than in grooves or between teeth or at the edges. The other descriptions refer to different patterns: pits and fissures describe decay in the grooves of molars and premolars, proximal decay happens on the surfaces between teeth, and cavities at incisal edges or cusp tips occur at the biting edges or cusp tops. So, describing decay on smooth surfaces near the gumline fits the smooth-surface caries classification best.