Dental materials and radiology: dental porcelain: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Dentistry · Dental materials and radiology: dental porcelain

Sample item

Why is porcelain fused to a metal substructure for posterior crowns?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Porcelain is strong in compression but brittle in tension, so metal gives support

Porcelain gives excellent colour and wear resistance but fractures readily under tensile forces. A metal coping supplies strength, as in metal-ceramic crowns.

Option by option

  • A. Metal is added to make the crown lighter

    Adding metal increases weight, not reduces it.

  • B. Porcelain bonds poorly to any substrate

    Porcelain bonds well to oxide on the metal coping.

  • C. Porcelain is strong in compression but brittle in tension, so metal gives support (correct)

    Correct. The metal copes with tensile stress that porcelain cannot.

  • D. Porcelain is a poor aesthetic material

    Porcelain is an excellent aesthetic material.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is C, Porcelain is strong in compression but brittle in tension, so metal gives support. Porcelain gives excellent colour and wear resistance but fractures readily under tensile forces.

Why is "Metal is added to make the crown lighter" not the answer?

Adding metal increases weight, not reduces it.

Why is "Porcelain bonds poorly to any substrate" not the answer?

Porcelain bonds well to oxide on the metal coping.

Why is "Porcelain is a poor aesthetic material" not the answer?

Porcelain is an excellent aesthetic material.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Dental materials and radiology: dental porcelain in Dentistry. A metal coping supplies strength, as in metal-ceramic crowns.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Dental materials and radiology: dental porcelain?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.