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Post-Operative Sensitivity — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateRestorative DentistryPost-Operative SensitivityNDEB AFK

Which of the following restorative procedures has the highest risk of causing post-operative sensitivity in a composite restoration?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: E — Total-etch technique on deep dentin with aggressive air drying

Post-operative sensitivity in composite restorations is most commonly caused by excessive desiccation (aggressive air drying) of acid-etched dentin, which collapses the exposed collagen network and prevents complete resin infiltration, creating a zone of unprotected dentin at the base of the hybrid layer. This 'nanoleakage' allows fluid movement in dentinal tubules (hydrodynamic mechanism). Self-etch systems (which don't remove the smear layer completely) and gentle air-drying reduce this risk.

Reference: Heymann – Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, 7th ed., 2019