Start practicing

Restorative & Materials · single question

A patient presents with smooth, dished enamel loss on the occlusal surfaces. History reveals they eat 5–7 lemons every day. What is the most appropriate FIRST step?

  1. Identify and counsel the patient to modify the dietary acid habit
  2. Immediately place full-coverage crowns on all affected teeth
  3. Attribute the loss solely to bruxism and fabricate a night guard
  4. No intervention needed, as this is age-related wear
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Identify and counsel the patient to modify the dietary acid habit

  • A. Correct. This is acid (erosive) tooth wear from dietary citric acid. The cause is behavioral, so identifying and modifying the habit is the essential first step before any restoration.
  • B. Incorrect. Restoring teeth before removing the acid source allows erosion to continue around the new restorations and undermines them.
  • C. Incorrect. Bruxism causes mechanical attrition (flattened, matching wear facets), not the smooth scooped lesions of acid erosion. Treating only bruxism misses the real cause.
  • D. Incorrect. Smooth erosion linked to a clear dietary acid source is not physiologic aging.

Practice Restorative & Materials questions Restorative & Materials study notes

More Restorative & Materials practice questions