Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Practice Test

What are the six surfaces of a tooth?

1. Facial, lingual, buccal, distal, mesial, occlusal

2. Facial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, incisal

3. Facial, lingual, apical, distal, mesial, incisal

4. Facial, lingual, labial, distal, mesial, occlusal

The correct answer is: Facial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, incisal

The correct answer identifies the six surfaces of a tooth accurately. In dentistry, surfaces are described based on their position and orientation. The facial surface refers to the side of the tooth facing the lips or cheeks, while the lingual surface denotes the side facing the tongue. The mesial surface is the closest surface to the midline of the dental arch, and the distal surface is the furthest from the midline. The occlusal surface pertains specifically to the top of posterior teeth where chewing occurs, and the incisal surface applies to the biting edge of anterior teeth. The first option contains the term "buccal," which can be interchangeable with "facial" but does not encompass all the necessary terminology for each tooth type. The third option incorrectly includes "apical," a term that references the tip of the root rather than a surface of the crown. The fourth option replaces "incisal" with "labial," which again focuses on the surface characteristics but does not encompass the complete answer needed for incisors, which have incisal surfaces. By precisely naming the relevant surfaces, this answer provides a clear understanding of the terminology used in dentistry to describe tooth anatomy, important for clinical practice and communication among dental professionals.