MFDS Part 1 - Membership of Faculty of Dental Surgery Endodontics and Prosthodontics Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 35-year-old patient presents with a sharp, lingering pain to cold stimuli in the lower left first molar (LL6).
A deep distal carious lesion is visible on the bitewing radiograph, approaching the pulp.
To confirm a diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis, which of the following sensibility tests is generally considered most reliable according to UK endodontic practice guidelines?

Accepted Answer

Cold test using a refrigerant spray (e.g., Endo-Frost)

Answer

Percussion test

Answer

Electric Pulp Test (EPT)

Answer

Heat test using warm gutta-percha

Question 2

A 68-year-old edentulous patient requires new complete dentures. On examination, the mandibular ridge is severely resorbed, with inadequate height and width, presenting a flat or even concave form. According to the Cawood and Howell classification, which class best describes this clinical presentation?

Accepted Answer

Class VI

Answer

Class II

Answer

Class III

Answer

Class IV

Question 3

Which component of traditional Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) formulations is primarily responsible for the potential greyish discolouration of tooth structure, particularly when it interacts with common endodontic irrigants like sodium hypochlorite?

Accepted Answer

Bismuth oxide

Answer

Tricalcium silicate

Answer

Calcium sulphate

Answer

Dicalcium phosphate

Question 4

A dentist is planning a post-retained crown for a root-canal-treated upper central incisor. To maximise the fracture resistance of the final restoration, what is the minimum recommended height of circumferential coronal tooth structure (ferrule) that should be preserved above the crown margin?

Accepted Answer

1.5 - 2.0 mm

Answer

0.5 mm

Answer

1.0 mm

Answer

3.0 mm

Question 5

A 50-year-old patient complains of a sharp, intermittent pain on biting on their lower right first molar (LR6), which has a large MOD amalgam restoration. The pain disappears immediately on release. There is no lingering pain to thermal stimuli and no periapical pathology is evident on the radiograph. Transillumination reveals a crack line extending from the mesial marginal ridge. What is the most appropriate immediate management to prevent crack propagation?

Accepted Answer

Placement of a full-coverage cuspal protection restoration (e.g., a crown)

Answer

Place the tooth on a watch-and-wait protocol

Answer

Immediate root canal treatment

Answer

Extraction of the tooth

Question 6

When selecting an all-ceramic material for a full-coverage crown on a maxillary second molar in a patient with evidence of bruxism, which of the following materials offers the highest flexural strength and fracture toughness, making it the most suitable choice?

Accepted Answer

Monolithic zirconia

Answer

Feldspathic porcelain

Answer

Leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic

Answer

Lithium disilicate glass-ceramic