National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a part of the anesthetic syringe?

1. Thumb ring

2. Barrel

3. Plunger

4. Harpoon

The correct answer is: Plunger

In the context of an anesthetic syringe, the components play specific roles in its function. The thumb ring is designed to allow the healthcare provider to control the syringe with ease, providing a good grip for applying pressure. The barrel serves as the chamber that holds the anesthetic solution, allowing for accurate measurement and easy visualization of the amount of anesthetic available. The harpoon is a part of the aspiration mechanism in the syringe, which helps the user determine whether they are in a blood vessel before injecting the anesthetic. The plunger, while a common term in many syringe applications, does not have a distinct presence in the specific design of an anesthetic syringe as the other parts do. In this context, the plunger refers generally to the internal mechanism that pushes the solution out, but the unique elements of the anesthetic syringe call for precision in naming the components. Therefore, distinguishing the absence of a plunger as a dedicated part of an anesthetic syringe is important in identifying which option does not belong.