Occlusion: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Occlusion

Sample item

A patient has tooth wear and morning jaw-muscle fatigue from repetitive nocturnal parafunctional activity; what behavior is most likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Habitual clenching or grinding of teeth

Bruxism is repetitive jaw-muscle activity involving clenching or grinding, often during sleep or concentration, and can contribute to tooth wear, muscle pain, restoration damage, and temporomandibular symptoms.

Option by option

  • A. Loss of all salivary glands

    Salivary-gland loss is not the definition of bruxism.

  • B. A bacterial infection of the pulp

    Pulp infection is a separate endodontic condition.

  • C. Congenital absence of enamel

    Absent enamel is a developmental defect rather than a parafunctional habit.

  • D. Habitual clenching or grinding of teeth (correct)

    Correct: bruxism refers to clenching or grinding behavior.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, Habitual clenching or grinding of teeth. Bruxism is repetitive jaw-muscle activity involving clenching or grinding, often during sleep or concentration, and can contribute to tooth wear, muscle pain, restoration damage, and temporomandibular symptoms.

Why is "Loss of all salivary glands" not the answer?

Salivary-gland loss is not the definition of bruxism.

Why is "A bacterial infection of the pulp" not the answer?

Pulp infection is a separate endodontic condition.

Why is "Congenital absence of enamel" not the answer?

Absent enamel is a developmental defect rather than a parafunctional habit.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Occlusion in Dentistry. The correct option holds because: Correct: bruxism refers to clenching or grinding behavior.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Occlusion?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.