Cariology & Operative Dentistry Practice Questions
Operative dentistry sits at the centre of general practice and at the centre of most dental board blueprints. These questions move from the caries process and lesion classification to what you actually do in the chair: tooth preparation principles, isolation and matrix systems, adhesive bonding, direct restorative materials, esthetic procedures and minimally invasive approaches. They also cover non-carious tooth surface loss and why restorations fail. On the AFK, INBDE, ORE and ADC, expect clinical vignettes that ask for the most appropriate material, the correct preparation feature, or the most likely cause of a post-operative problem, rather than simple definitions.
10 questions · answers and explanations revealed as you go · no sign-up
Questions
Question 1 of 10
Caries Process
A 5% sodium fluoride varnish contains approximately
The answer is C.
5% sodium fluoride varnish contains approximately 22,600 ppm fluoride, a high concentration that allows effectiveness with just two to four applications per year on enamel.
Question 2 of 10
Minimally Invasive & Preventive-Restorative Approaches
The atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach is characterized by
The answer is B.
ART removes softened dentin using only hand instruments and fills the cavity with high-viscosity glass ionomer, requiring no electricity or equipment and often no anesthesia, valuable in field settings and low-cooperation patients.
Question 3 of 10
Cavity & Lesion Classification
A carious lesion confined to the occlusal two-thirds of the buccal surface of a molar, not extending to the gingival third, is classified as
The answer is C.
A carious lesion confined to a molar's occlusal two-thirds buccal pit and fissure system, not extending to the gingival third, is classified as Black's Class I.
Question 4 of 10
Restoration Failure & Complications
How can composite polymerization shrinkage contribute to postoperative sensitivity?
The answer is D.
As composite polymerizes it contracts, and stress at a constrained bonded interface can disrupt adaptation. A gap may permit dentinal fluid movement under thermal or occlusal stimuli, activating pulpal mechanoreceptors. Increment design, appropriate material use, sound bonding, controlled curing, and occlusal adjustment reduce relevant causes.
Question 5 of 10
Esthetic Restorative Procedures
Why can direct composite diastema closure often be performed additively?
The answer is D.
When tooth shape and space distribution permit, composite can be added to proximal surfaces to close a diastema with minimal or no preparation. Predictable treatment still requires analysis of tooth proportions, contact location, emergence contour, occlusion, frenal or periodontal factors, and the total space to be distributed across the smile.
Question 6 of 10
Non-Carious Tooth Surface Loss
What is attrition of dental hard tissue?
The answer is D.
Attrition is mechanical loss produced by contact between opposing or adjacent teeth, as in mastication or bruxism. Matching wear facets commonly appear on antagonists. It can coexist with erosion, which softens tissue and accelerates contact wear, so diagnosis should not rely on the presence of a facet alone.
Question 7 of 10
Direct Restorative Materials: Clinical Application
What is the primary purpose of trituration of encapsulated amalgam?
The answer is B.
Trituration mechanically mixes alloy particles with mercury so their surfaces are wetted and the setting reaction begins, producing a cohesive workable mass. Both insufficient and excessive trituration alter handling and properties. The manufacturer's time and amalgamator setting should be followed rather than judging solely by a universal appearance.
Question 8 of 10
Isolation & Matrix Systems
In rubber dam application, the rubber dam punch hole for an upper central incisor should be which size?
The answer is C.
A size 3 (medium) punch hole is generally recommended for maxillary central incisors and canines to achieve a proper seal around the tooth without tearing the dam.
Question 9 of 10
Tooth Preparation Principles (Direct Restorations)
Which of the following BEST defines 'outline form' in cavity preparation?
The answer is C.
Outline form refers to the shape and extent of the cavity preparation at the cavosurface margin, ensuring all margins are placed in areas accessible for oral hygiene maintenance and that the preparation extends to sound tooth structure.
Question 10 of 10
Adhesive Dentistry
What causes the tacky oxygen-inhibited layer on the surface of a light-cured resin?
The answer is D.
Oxygen reacts with free radicals at the resin-air interface and suppresses complete surface polymerization, leaving a thin resin-rich tacky layer. This layer can facilitate copolymerization with a subsequent increment. The final exposed restoration surface should be finished or covered during curing to reduce an underpolymerized outer layer.
Choose an answer to reveal the explanation.
More branches
Full mock exams
DentistUP is an independent educational platform. Socket Science is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or approved by NDEB, INBDE, JCNDE, ADA, GDC, ORE, ADC, or any other examination authority. DentistUP does not contain official or recalled examination questions and does not guarantee examination outcomes. Educational content, not patient-specific clinical advice.