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!

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What is a unique capability of dentin?

It is capable of regeneration
It is the hardest calcified substance in the body
It forms the outer layer of the tooth
It is an excellent electrical insulator

The correct answer is: It is capable of regeneration

Dentin has a unique capability of regeneration, largely due to the presence of odontoblasts, which are specialized cells located at the pulp-dentin interface. These cells can respond to stimuli such as injury or carious lesions by producing new dentin, a process known as secondary dentin formation. This regenerative capacity allows dentin to contribute to the repair of the tooth structure, which is crucial in maintaining dental health and integrity over time. In contrast, while other options mention characteristics of dentin, they do not pertain to its regenerative capability. Dentin is not the hardest substance in the body; enamel holds that title. Additionally, it does not form the outer layer of the tooth—enamel does that job. Dentin is not an excellent electrical insulator either; it has some conductivity, which is significant for tooth sensitivity and responses to external stimuli. Understanding the regenerative nature of dentin is key in dental health, particularly in restorative dentistry and the management of tooth decay.