Dental materials: acid etching: 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.

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Dentistry · Dental materials: acid etching

Sample item

Why is enamel etched with phosphoric acid before placing composite resin?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. To create micro-porosities for resin tag retention

Phosphoric acid of about 37 percent dissolves enamel prisms selectively, creating microporosities into which bonding resin flows and polymerises as tags, giving micromechanical retention.

Option by option

  • A. To create micro-porosities for resin tag retention (correct)

    Correct. Etching creates retentive microporosities.

  • B. To remove calculus

    Etching does not remove calculus.

  • C. To neutralise saliva

    Saliva is excluded by isolation, not neutralised.

  • D. To sterilise the cavity completely

    Etching is not a sterilisation method.

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.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, To create micro-porosities for resin tag retention. Phosphoric acid of about 37 percent dissolves enamel prisms selectively, creating microporosities into which bonding resin flows and polymerises as tags, giving micromechanical retention.

Why is "To remove calculus" not the answer?

Etching does not remove calculus.

Why is "To neutralise saliva" not the answer?

Saliva is excluded by isolation, not neutralised.

Why is "To sterilise the cavity completely" not the answer?

Etching is not a sterilisation method.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Dental materials: acid etching in Dentistry. The correct option holds because: Correct. Etching creates retentive microporosities.

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: acid etching?

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.