Dental Anatomy & Physiology Flashcards
6 cards from real MJDF practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Dental Anatomy & Physiology flashcards as text
What is the term for the junction between enamel and cementum on the tooth surface?
Answer: Cemento-enamel junction (CEJ)
The cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) marks the boundary between the enamel-covered crown and the cementum-covered root, serving as a critical clinical reference for attachment level measurements.
What is the approximate percentage of inorganic content in mature enamel?
Answer: 96%
Mature enamel is approximately 96% inorganic (hydroxyapatite crystals), making it the hardest and most mineralised tissue in the human body, with only about 1% organic matrix and 3% water.
Which region of the pulp contains the highest density of nerve endings?
Answer: Sub-odontoblastic plexus of Raschkow
The plexus of Raschkow, located just below the odontoblast layer in the coronal pulp, contains a dense network of unmyelinated C-fibres and myelinated Aδ fibres responsible for pain perception.
What is the biological mechanism by which dentine hypersensitivity is explained by the hydrodynamic theory?
Answer: Fluid movement in dentinal tubules triggers mechanoreceptors at the pulp-dentine boundary
Brannstrom's hydrodynamic theory proposes that stimuli (cold, touch, osmosis) cause rapid dentinal fluid movement, which activates Aδ fibres at the pulp-dentine boundary, producing a sharp pain response.
How does secondary dentine differ from tertiary (reactionary) dentine?
Answer: Secondary forms throughout life at a slow rate; tertiary forms rapidly in response to injury
Secondary dentine deposits slowly throughout life, reducing pulp chamber volume; tertiary (reactionary or reparative) dentine forms rapidly in response to caries, attrition, or restorative procedures.
Which structure is responsible for tooth eruption according to the most widely accepted theory?
Answer: PDL traction forces and alveolar bone remodelling
The most accepted eruption theory involves PDL fibre traction and coordinated alveolar bone resorption coronally and deposition apically, driving the tooth towards the occlusal plane.