National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the National Dental Assisting Exam with comprehensive quiz questions, including multiple choice and detailed explanations. Equip yourself for success!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

The lingual surfaces of the teeth are positioned closest to which anatomical structure?

Lips
Tongue
Cheeks
Maxilla

The correct answer is: Tongue

The lingual surfaces of the teeth are oriented towards the tongue, making this the correct answer. The term "lingual" specifically refers to the side of the teeth that faces the tongue. In dental terminology, each surface of a tooth is named based on its orientation relative to other anatomical structures in the oral cavity. The proximity of lingual surfaces to the tongue is significant as it plays a role in various functions, such as speaking, swallowing, and the overall mechanics of the mouth. The tongue interacts with the lingual surfaces during these processes, which is crucial for effective oral function. Other anatomical structures mentioned do not have the same direct relationship with the lingual surfaces of the teeth. The lips are located anteriorly, the cheeks are on the sides, and the maxilla is the upper jawbone structure supporting the teeth, but none of these structures are closest to the lingual surfaces compared to the tongue.