Ethics & Law · patient case question
All of the following can be seen on an occlusal view of the maxillary canine EXCEPT:
Patient case: Behaviour, communication and quitting
demo: Adult patient in a health-promotion consultation
chief: Attends for a check-up and mentions he would like to stop smoking.
history: Smokes 15 cigarettes a day and has done so for twenty years. He has tried to quit twice before without support.
meds: None.
findings: Generalised staining and halitosis. No mucosal lesions on careful examination.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. The cervical line
- A. The cingulum is a prominent bulge on the cervical third of the lingual surface and is clearly visible from the occlusal aspect.
- B. Correct, and this is the exception. The cervical line, the cementoenamel junction, encircles the tooth in a plane perpendicular to the line of sight from the occlusal aspect, so it is not visible from directly above. It is seen from the facial, lingual and proximal views.
- C. Developmental grooves on the lingual surface are visible from the occlusal view.
- D. The mesiolingual and distolingual fossae flank the lingual ridge and are visible from above.