Fundamental/Preventative Curvatures

Question 1

What is the function of fundamental curvatures?

Answer 1

-maintenance of teeth in the dental arch
-prevent disease, damage, bacterial invasion, calculus build up
-disperse excessive occlusal trauma to protect the periodontium

Question 2

What are proximal contact areas?

Answer 2

areas where the proximal surfaces of teeth touch each other

Question 3

What are the functions of the proximal contacts?

Answer 3

-prevent food impacting
-protect interdental papillae
-offers support and anchorage to teeth
-offers resistance to displacement from traumatic forces

Question 4

Describe the clinical significance of interproximal teeth

Answer 4

since 2 adjacent teeth share the same interproximal bone, damage to that bone will affect both teeth, as the bone supports distal root of one tooth and mesial tooth of another tooth

Question 5

Where are the contact areas on anterior teeth? (facial view)

Answer 5

closer to the incisal edges

Question 6

Where are the contact areas located on posterior teeth? (facial view)

Answer 6

-closer to middle third of teeth
-more posteriorly, more cervical the contact

Question 7

What are the exceptions to location of the contact areas?

Answer 7

-mandibular 1st premolar: mesial contact more cervical then the distal
-mandibular central incisors- contact is in same area mesially and distally

Question 8

What is the location of the contact area for anterior teeth on the occlusal view?

Answer 8

in the center between labial and lingual surfaces of the tooth

Question 9

what is the location of the contact area for posterior teeth in the occlusal view?

Answer 9

contacts are slightly facial/buccal to the center of the tooths midline

Question 10

What is a contact point? different from a contact area

Answer 10

spot where the occlusal cusp of one tooth touches the occlusal portion of another tooth in the opposing arch

Question 11

Describe interproximal spaces

Answer 11

triangular shaped (v shaped) spaces between the teeth

Question 12

Name the boundaries of interproximal spaces

Answer 12

-contact area (forms the apex)
-proximal surfaces (forms lateral borders)
-alveolar bone (forms base)

Question 13

What are the functions of interproximal spaces?

Answer 13

overall preventative
-provide place for bulk of bone for better anchorage and support
-provides vascular support to nourish bone and tissue

Question 14

What are interdental papilla?

Answer 14

gingival tissue filling in the interproximal spaces (in health)
-helps keep food from collecting between the teeth

Question 15

Describe embrasures

Answer 15

aka “spillways”, the spaces between teeth around the contact areas
-narrowest closest to the contact area

Question 16

List the functions of embrasures

Answer 16

-allows passage of food around teeth (away from contact areas)
-reduce force of occlusal trauma by dissipating
-self cleaning
-protects the gingiva and allows gingival stimulation

Question 17

Lingual embrasures are ______ than facial embrasures because teeth are ______ on the lingual side than on the buccal.

Answer 17

wider;narrower

Question 18

How are embrasures named?

Answer 18

their location in relation to the contact area
ex/ facial (buccal or labial), lingual, incisal, occlusal

Question 19

Describe gingival embrasures?

Answer 19

aka cervical embrasures
-gingival to contact area
-not always present (unless bone loss)
-same as interproximal space

Question 20

What is another name for height of contour?

Answer 20

crest of curvature

Question 21

What is the height of contour?

Answer 21

location of the widest part of the crown

Question 22

List the functions of facial and lingual contours?

Answer 22

-directs food off teeth and against gingiva at a proper angle
-provide correct amount of stimulation to gingiva
-cleaning (tongue resting against the tooth)

Question 23

Where is the height of contour in the facial view? (anterior&posterior)

Answer 23

anterior: cervical 1/3rd
posterior: cervical 1/3rd

Question 24

Where is the height of contour in the lingual view? (anterior&posterior)

Answer 24

-anterior: cervical 1/3rd
-posterior: middle 1/3rd

Question 25

What are the features of curvature of the CEJ?

Answer 25

-more anteriorly; greater the curvature
-posterior teeth in both arches show little variation
-curvature of the CEJ is usually about 1mm less on the distal surface than on the mesial

Question 26

Describe the proximal curvature of the CEJ

Answer 26

-curves towards the incisal/occlusal surface (convex curve)
-depends on height of contact area and width of the tooth
-mandibular anterior teeth have less curvature than maxillary

Question 27

The curvature of the CEJ on the facial and lingual views curves toward what structure?

Answer 27

curves towards the apex of the root

Question 28

What function do posterior central grooves serve?

Answer 28

help distribute mastication forces

Question 29

What is the clinical significance of tooth contours?

Answer 29

-in restorative dentistry, contours must be reproduced correctly
-too much contour=too little stimulation
-too little contour=too much stimulation

Question 30

What is the clinical significance of open or light contacts?

Answer 30

-teeth don’t touch in contact area the way they should
-causes food impacted between teeth
-resulting in papilla being destroyed and bone loss

Question 31

What are rough margins and what do they cause

Answer 31

-rough surfaces of restorations
-causes increase plaque retention, recurrent decay, mechanical irritation

Question 32

What are overhanging margins and what can they cause?

Answer 32

-when the restoration is not flush with the tooth but extends beyond the tooth
-causes increased plaque retention, bacteria colonization, increased food retention, recurrent decay

Question 33

How do normal marginal ridge contours appear?

Answer 33

-heights relatively the same in adjacent teeth
-occulsal embrasures are small to act as spillways

Question 34

Posterior central grooves align in…

Answer 34

one linear groove