Dental Anatomy — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.
Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.
Reveal the answer and explanation
Correct answer: A — Maxillary canine
The **maxillary canine** usually has the greatest anatomical root length in the permanent dentition. Contemporary CBCT measurements report a mean maxillary canine root length of about 16.6 mm, compared with about 15.5 mm for the mandibular canine and shorter roots for the incisors. The mandibular canine is therefore the closest distractor but is usually slightly shorter. The maxillary first premolar and mandibular first molar may have multiple roots, but no individual root normally exceeds the maxillary canine root in length. The original wording was removed because “relative to its crown” asks about a root-to-crown ratio rather than absolute root length and can produce a different answer. Root length also does not determine eruption order.
Reference: Chen Y, Dai Y, Yan Z, et al. Morphological analysis of anterior permanent dentition in a Chinese population using cone-beam computed tomography. Head & Face Medicine. 2023;19:12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25006380/