Dentistry Building Blocks

Question 1

Which structure comprises the bulk of the mature tooth?

Answer 1

Dentine

Question 2

Which part of the tooth is the hardest tissue in the body?

Answer 2

Enamel

Question 3

What does the pulp cavity comprise of?

Answer 3

The chamber and root canal.

Question 4

What is the term for the surface on the outside of the tooth?

Answer 4

Buccal/labial

Question 5

How many premolars does the dog have?

Answer 5

4

Question 6

What are the two techniques used in taking dental radiographs?

Answer 6

Parallel technique and the Bisecting angle technique.

Question 7

List three ways in which peridontitis may present on a radiograph.

Answer 7

Periodontal ligament space widening
Bone loss - horizontal, vertical, at furcation
Periapical lucency

Question 8

List five presentations of trauma on a dental radiograph

Answer 8

Fractured roots
Evidence of the tooth dying after endodontitis
Jaw damage
Wear - checking the root of the teeth affected by attrition/abrasion
Luxated teeth

Question 9

Name two types of local anaesthetic and describe how they differ in terms of their onset, duration and maximum dose.

Answer 9

Lidocaine:
- Rapid onset (1-2 minutes)
- Short duration (1-2 hours)
- Maximum dose higher (dogs - 5mg/kg, cats 3mg/kg)
Bupivicaine
- Slower onset (15-20minutes)
- Longer duration (4-6 hours)
- Maximum dose lower (dogs 2.5mg/kg, cats 1.5mg/kg)

Question 10

What area of the jaw does the maxillary block anaesthetise?

Answer 10

Completely anaesthetises the ipsilateral half of the maxilla including the soft and hard palates, bone, mucose and all the teeth

Question 11

What are the two approaches to the maxillary block and which one is safest?

Answer 11

Intra-oral approach - risk of hitting the eye globe if you push the needle in too far
Transcutaenous approach - SAFEST

Question 12

Where does the infraorbital nerve block?

Answer 12

Upper canine and front few teeth only.

Question 13

Where does the inferior alveolar (caudal mandibular) nerve block?

Answer 13

Mandible including teeth, lower lip, part of tongue, hard and soft tissues

Question 14

What is the main risk with the inferior alveolar block and how would you avoid this?

Answer 14

Hitting the lingual nerve causing temporary desensitisation of the tongue. Avoid by guiding the needle as close to the bone as possible.

Question 15

Where does the mental nerve block?

Answer 15

Mostly just the lip and rostral soft tissues.

Question 16

Which structures are part of the peridontium?

Answer 16

Gingiva, periodontal ligament, alevolar bone, cementum.

Question 17

What are the two parts of periodontal disease?

Answer 17

Gingivitis (initial reversible stage)
Periodontitis (later irreversible stage)

Question 18

What is plaque?

Answer 18

A biofilm that adheres to the tooth surface.

Question 19

What is gingivitis and how does it progress?

Answer 19

Inflammation confined to the gingiva.
Present as reddening and oesdema of the tissue, starting at the gingival margin but progressing to visible ulceration and spotaneous bleeding.

Question 20

List six problems caused by periodontitis

Answer 20

Loss of attachment
Recession of the gingiva
Root exposure
Furcation exposure
Formation of periodontal pockets
Loss of alveolar bone.

Question 21

What is gingival recession?

Answer 21

Measured from the cemento-enamel junction to the gingival margin, at its greatest using a periodontal probe.

Question 22

What is periodontal pocket depth?

Answer 22

The distance from the gingival margin to the deepest depth of the pockt, using gentle pressure.

Question 23

How do you make up the value of ‘attachment loss’?

Answer 23

Attachment loss is the sum of the gingival recession and the periodontal pocket depth, less the normal gingival sulcus depth for that tooth.

Question 24

What is the normal sucal depth for a dog or a cat?

Answer 24

Normal sulcal depth in a dog is 0-3mm and in a cat is 0-0.5mm.

Question 25

Which teeth are naturally more mobile than others?

Answer 25

Incisors

Question 26

What is scaling used to remove?

Answer 26

Supragingival and subgingival plaque and calculus.

Question 27

What should you do during a dental, after finishing ultrasonic cleaning?

Answer 27

Use a hand scale to remove any remaining supraginigval plaque.

Question 28

What are subgingival curettage and root planing used to do?

Answer 28

To remove remaining calculus, plaque and inflammatory material in the gingival sulcus.

Question 29

Define root planing

Answer 29

Removal of calculus and plaque from the tooth surface within the gingical sulcus

Question 30

Define subgingival curettage

Answer 30

Removal of granulation tissue and the gingival sulcar lining from the gingival side of the sulcus

Question 31

How does polishing protect the tooth?

Answer 31

The smoother the tooth surface, the more difficult it is for the plaque to stick.

Question 32

When is open periodontal surgery reccomenned and describe how you would perform it?

Answer 32

For treatment of deeper pockets - recommended when deeper than 4-5mm.
Make a flap to expose the subgingival surface/exposed root to allow thourough treatment. Once scaling and polishing is complete, the site is lavaged and the flap sewn back.

Question 33

What is a gingivectomy?

Answer 33

Removal of excess gingiva surrounding a tooth.

Question 34

List six local consequences of peridontitis

Answer 34

Oro-nasal fistula