Question Breakdown,

Analysis and Format

REVIEW (1996 & 1998 exams)
for
for
NBE - 1
Friday, May 13, 2011

Charles J. Arcoria, DDS, MBA

Adjunct Instructor
ASDOH
 Preparing for the NBE Part I Analysis
•All questions are in a multiple choice format.

•There is only one correct answer for each question.

•There is always going to be one or two additional answers that have some
measure of truth in them and are designed to pull you in the wrong direction.

•Your first inclination regarding an answer is usually correct.

•Try to answer a question by reading the stem very carefully and attempt to
answer it, before “fishing” for a response in the list of answers.

•Never change an answer, unless you have a great compelling reason for
doing so (i.e., you realized that a major error in judgment was made when the
question was initially read).

•The purpose of the NBE is to separate the prepared from the unprepared
student.

•Typically, a student who answers at least 70 of 100 questions correctly will

likely do well on the Dental Anatomy & Occlusion portion of the exam.
Previous Student Survey - 1
Previous Student Survey - 2
Previous Student Survey - 3
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Nomenclature)
On the crown of the maxillary canine, the height of contour is normally loscated in the cervical third
of which of the following surfaces?

A. Labial
B. Lingual
C. Both labial and lingual
D. Neither labial nor lingual

Which of the following surfaces of a tooth is always next to an adjacent tooth?

A. Distal
B. Facial
C. Palatal
D. Occlusal
E. Proximal

Which of the following represents the structure on the crown of a maxillary canine which is located
immediately to the mesial of the mesiolingual fossa?
A. Lingual ridge
B. Mesial marginal ridge
C. Distal marginal ridge
D. Distolingual fossa
E. Mesial developmental groove
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Eruption Schedules)
Which of the following are the LAST primary teeth to erupt?

A. Maxillary canines
B. Mandibular canines
C. Mandibular first molars
D. Maxillary second molars
E. Mandibular second molars

A hypoplasia of primary teeth which is limited to the incisal thirds of incisors, to the incisal tips of
canines, and
to the occlusal portions of molars, suggests which of the following?
A Tetracycline medication in early life
B. Excessive fluorides in the drinking water
C. A metabolic disturbance during the prenatal period
D. A metabolic disturbance during infancy and the early childhood periods

Which of the following represents the EARLIEST age by which the roots of the maxillary first
premolar are completely formed?
A. 8-9 years
B. 10-11 years
C. 12-13 years
D. 14-15 years
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Physiological Tooth Form & Geometric Concepts)
Which of the following represents the general crown form of canines, as viewed from the labial
aspect?
A. Hexagonal
B. Triangular
C. Rhomboidal
D. Pentagonal
E. Diamond-shaped

Which of the following teeth have proximal contact areas at approximately the same levels
cervicoincisally, or cervicoocclusally, on the mesial and the distal?
A. Maxillary central incisors
B. Mandibular central incisors
C. Maxillary canines
D. Mandibular canines

Which of the following periodontal ligament fibers provide the major support to the tooth during
function?
A. Apical
B. Oblique
C. Horizontal
D. Alveolar crest
E. Interradicular
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Primary Anterior Teeth)
Enamel rods in a primary tooth extend

A. from the dentinoenamel junction apically in the cervical third of the crown.
B. from the dentinoenamel junction occlusally in the cervical third of the crown.
C. in the same direction as in a permanent tooth in the cervical third, but not in the incisal or
occlusal thirds of the crown.
D. in a diffused and gnarled manner in the cervical third of the crown.

At what age is a primary maxillary canine usually exfoliated?

A. 6 to 7 years
B. 8 to 9 years
C. 10 to 11 years
D. 12 to 13 years
E. 14 to 15 years

Which of the following primary teeth would exhibit a prominent cervical ridge on both the facial
and lingual surfaces?
A. A
B. F
C. J
D. L
E. T
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Primary Posterior Teeth)
Which primary molar typically has a transverse ridge, an oblique ridge, and a distolingual groove?

A. Maxillary first
B. Maxillary second
C. Mandibular first
D. Mandibular second

Which primary molar has a crown somewhat resembling a permanent premolar, but the root form is
typical of a permanent molar?

A. Maxillary first
B. Maxillary second
C. Mandibular first
D. Mandibular second

From a facial view, where would the cementoenamel junction be MOST apically positioned on the
crown of a primary mandibular first molar?

A. Mesial one-third
B. Middle one-third
C. Distal one-third
D. Equally positioned in all thirds
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Permanent Anterior Teeth)
When compared to the maxillary central incisor, the maxillary canine normally exhibits which of the
following?
A. shorter root
B. Wider crown mesiodistally
C. thicker crown labiolingually
D. Longer crown incisogingivally
E. Shorter crown and shorter root length

Which of the following teeth is the MOST likely to have a bifurcated root?

A. Maxillary central incisor

B. Maxillary lateral incisor
C. Mandibular lateral incisor
D. Maxillary canine
E. Mandibular canine

Which of the following describes the proximal contact relationship between a maxillary central
incisor and a maxillary lateral incisor?
A. Contact is offset to the lingual.
B. Contact is centered incisocervically.
C. Lingual embrasure is larger than the facial embrasure.
D. Incisal embrasure is the largest of all the embrasures.
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Permanent Maxillary Premolars)
The crown of which premolar is wider faciolingually than mesiodistally, and has two cusps that are
approximately equal in height?

A. Maxillary first
B. Mandibular first
C. Maxillary second
D. Mandibular second

For an amalgam restoration, it will be MOST difficult to obtain close matrix-band adaptation on
which of the following surfaces?
A. Mesial of a maxillary first premolar
B. Distal of a maxillary first premolar
C. Mesial of a maxillary second premolar
D. Distal of a mandibular second premolar
E. Mesial of a mandibular first molar

A posterior tooth has a faciolingual crown dimension greater than its mesiodistal crown dimension.
In addition, it has two roots. This tooth is MOST likely a
A. maxillary first premolar.
B. mandibular first premolar.
C. mandibular second premolar.
D. mandibular first molar.
E. maxillary second molar.
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Permanent Mandibular Premolars)
Which of the following premolars usually has two lingual cusps?

A. Maxillary first
B. Maxillary second
C. Mandibular first
D. Mandibular second

Viewed from the occlusal, the basic coronal outline of a mandibular second premolar is

A. square
B. circular.
C. rhomboidal.
D. pentagonal.
E. rectangular.

Which of the following grooves on a mandibular first premolar originates in an occlusal pit and
extends onto a proximal surface?

A. Mesiolingual developmental
B. Distolingual developmental
C. Mesial marginal
D. Linguogingival
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Permanent Maxillary Molars)
From the facial view, the maxillary first molar has its lingual root apex in line with which of the
following?
A Facial groove
B. Distofacial line angle
C. Distofacial cusp tip
D. Mesiofacial cusp tip
E. Mesiodistal diameter midpoint

Which of the following ranks the roots of the maxillary first molar in order from LARGEST to
SMALLEST?

A. Palatal, mesiobuccal, distobuccal

B. Palatal, distobuccal, mesiobuccal
C. Mesiobuccal, palatal, distobuccal
D. Distobuccal, mesiobuccal, palatal

When compared to a maxillary first molar, the crown of a second molar normally exhibits a

A. larger distofacial cusp.

B. shorter distolingual groove.
C. greater mesiodistal crown width.
D. greater occlusocervical crown width.
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Permanent Mandibular Molars)
The developmental groove between the DB cusp and the fifth cusp of tooth #19 is the:
 
a. buccal
b. distal
c. mesiobuccal
d. distobuccal
e. distaloblique

Which of the following molars has the LARGEST mesiodistal measurement of its crown?

A. Maxillary first
B. Mandibular first
C. Maxillary second
D. Mandibular second

Which of the following characteristics of a mandibular first molar distinguishes this tooth from a
mandibular second molar?
A. Number of roots
B. Number of lingual cusps
C. Presence of a lingual groove
D. Position of the lingual cusps
E. Number of developmental grooves
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Tooth Anomalies)
Excessive calcified tissue formation at the root apices is known as which of the following?
A. Concrescence
B. Enamel pearls
C. Hypercementosis
D. Cemental pearls

Which of the following teeth would MOST likely be congenitally absent?

A. Maxillary central incisor
B. Mandibular central incisor
C. Maxillary lateral incisor
D. Mandibular lateral incisor
E. Maxillary canine

A peg-shaped crown form is an occasional anomalous occurrence of which of the following

incisors?
A. Maxillary central
B. Maxillary lateral
C. Mandibular central
D. Mandibular lateral
 Dental Anatomy Question
(Pulp & Root Morphology)
If a maxillary first molar has a fourth pulp canal, it is located in which of the following roots?

A. Mesiofacial
B. Distofacial
C. Palatal
D. Fourth

During an endodontic procedure on Tooth #21, clinical symptoms lead the dentist to suspect the
presence of a second pulp canal. Which direction is the MOST likely location for the suspected
canal?
A. Facial
B. Distal
C. Lingual
D. Mesial

How many pulp horns would be expected on a newly erupted Tooth #18?

A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
 Occlusion Questions
(Muscles of Mastication)
Which of the following are the principal muscle fibers that retrude the mandible?

A. Superficial masseter
B. Posterior belly of the digastric
C. Posterior fibers of the temporal
D. Posterior fibers of the internal pterygoid

Protrusive movement is produced primarily because of contracture of which of the following

muscles?
A Masseter
B. Mylohyoid
C. Temporalis
D. Medial pterygoid
E. Lateral pterygoid

The dentist instructs the patient, who has a severed left lateral pterygoid muscle, to open wide. The
patient's mandible will move in which direction?
A To the left
B. To the right
C. In a straight protrusive direction
D. In a retrusive direction
 Occlusion Questions
(Static Occlusion)
In the intercuspal position, the lingual cusp of a mandibular first premolar usually occludes
A. with the mesial marginal ridge of the maxillary second premolar and the distal marginal ridge of
the first premolar.
B. in the lingual embrasure between maxillary canine and first premolar.
C. with the lingual surface of the maxillary first premolar.
D. in the lingual embrasure between maxillary premolars.
E. with no maxillary tooth.

In an ideal occlusion, the facial cusps of the posterior mandibular teeth oppose which landmark of
the maxillary dentition?
A. Facio-occlusal line
B. Central fossa line
C. Linguo-occlusal line
D. Curve of Spee
E. Curve of Wilson

In the intercuspal position, the facial aspect of the mesial cusp ridge of a mandibular canine opposes
which of the following maxillary structures?
A. DL of a canine
B. DF of a canine
C. ML of a lateral incisor
D. DL of a lateral incisor
E. DL of a central incisor
 Occlusion Questions
(Moving Occlusion)
Through which of the following grooves of the mandibular first molar does the maxillary
mesiolingual cusp pass in a lateral excursive movement on the working side?

A. Facial
B. Lingual
C. Central
D. Distofacial

In a protrusive movement, the maxillary left central incisor can potentially come in contact with
which of the following mandibular teeth?

A. #22 and #23

B. #23 and #24
C. #24 and #25
D. #25 and #26

When the posterior teeth are in a crossbite relationship, which of the following cusps are considered
supporting cusps?
A. Maxillary facial and mandibular facial
B. Maxillary facial and mandibular lingual
C. Maxillary lingual and mandibular facial
D. Maxillary lingual and mandibular lingual
 Occlusion Questions
(Mandibular Movement)
The protrusive pathway of the mandibular cusps on the maxillary posterior teeth is toward the

A. mesial.
B. facial.
C. distal.
D. lingual.

The non-working pathway of the maxillary cusps on the mandibular posterior teeth is toward the

A. distofacial.
B. distolingual.
C. mesiofacial.
D. mesiolingual.

The physiologic rest position of the mandible is established when the

A. muscles of mastication are in tonic equilibrium.

B. maxillary and mandibular teeth make the greatest occlusal contact.
C. condyles are in their most retruded position.
D. condyles are in their most protruded position.
 Occlusion Questions
(Determinants of Occlusion)
Which of the following plays the greatest role in disoccluding the posterior teeth in lateroprotrusive
movements?

A. Anterior guidance
B. Posterior guidance
C. Bennett side shift
D. Intercondylar distance

When the mandible moves to the right side, which of the following represents the
excursive tooth contacts which could occur on the right molars?
A. Non-working side contacts
B. Working side contacts
C. Lateral contacts
D. Occlusion

Which of the following occurs in a right lateral movement?

A. The right condyle primarily rotates.
B. The right condyle moves down the eminentia.
C. The facial cusps of the mandibular left side pass under the maxillary left facial cusps.
D. The facial cusps of the mandibular right side pass under the maxillary right lingual cusps.
 Occlusion Questions
(Occlusal Interferences & Muscle Responses)
The developmental groove between the DB cusp and the fifth cusp of tooth #19 is the:
 
a. buccal
b. distal
c. mesiobuccal
d. distobuccal
e. distaloblique

On the non-working side in an ideal occlusion, interfering contacts on posterior teeth will be located
on which inclines of which cusps?
A Outer Guiding
B. Inner Guiding
C. Outer Supporting
D. Inner Supporting

The smudge mark labeled a, b, c represents which of the

following contacts?
A Working side
B. Non-working side
C. Protrusive
D. Lateral protrusive
 Occlusion Questions
(Articular Disc & Internal Derangements)
The upper compartment of the temporomandibular joint is that space between the

A. condylar head and the disc.

B. inferior and superior retrodiscal lamina.
C. retrodiscal tissue and capsular ligament.
D. disc and the articular fossa and eminence.

During a lateral movement of the mandible, the articular disc is tightly attached to the head of the
condyle by which of the following ligaments?
A. Superior retrodiscal
B. Inferior retrodiscal
C. Sphenomandibular
D. Stylomandibular
E. Collateral

As the mouth is opened widely, the articular disk moves in what direction in relation to the articular
eminence?
A Laterally
B. Anteriorly
C. Posteriorly
D. Medially
E. Superiorly
 Occlusion Questions
(Anatomical Characteristics)
In the sagittal plane, which of the following represents the thickest section of the articular disc?
A. Anterior border
B. Posterior border
C. Bilaminar zone
D. Intermediate zone
E. Retrodiscal area

Ligaments associated with the TMJ serve to

A. inhibit the normal masticatory cycle.

B. protect surrounding and supporting tissues from damages.
C. assist musculature in producing movement.
D. allow for retrusive movement to occur.
E. provide elastic potential to allow for border movements.

Which of the following ligaments has an outer oblique portion which limits the extent of jaw
opening and initiates translation of the condyle down the articular eminence?
A Capsular
B.Collateral
C. Stylomandibular
D. Temporomandibular
End of NBE format review