Dental Assistant Practice Exam

What is the Distal surface of a tooth?

1. Surface away from the midline

2. Surface toward the midline

3. Surface toward the tongue

4. Facial surface of posterior teeth

The correct answer is: Surface away from the midline

The distal surface of a tooth refers to the side that is furthest away from the midline of the dental arch. In dental terminology, the midline is an imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves, typically passing through the center of the incisors in the dental arcade. Therefore, any surface that is located on the side of a tooth that is away from this midline is classified as the distal surface. Understanding this term is important for dental professionals when assessing tooth positioning, planning treatments, or documenting findings in patient records. The other options describe different surfaces of the teeth: the surface toward the midline is known as the mesial surface, the surface toward the tongue is called the lingual surface, and the facial surface refers to the side of the teeth that faces the cheeks or lips, particularly for posterior teeth. Each of these surfaces plays a distinct role in dental health and treatment, making the correct identification of the distal surface crucial for accurate communication in a dental context.