Cuspal Coverage Indication — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateRestorative DentistryCuspal Coverage IndicationNDEB AFK

Which type of restoration is indicated when more than 50% of a cusp is undermined by caries or fracture on a posterior tooth?

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Correct answer: A — Cuspal coverage restoration (onlay or crown)

When more than 50% of a cusp is undermined by caries, fracture, or previous restoration, the remaining cusp is at significant risk of fracture under occlusal loading. A cuspal coverage restoration (onlay, overlay, or full-coverage crown) protects the weakened cusp by bracing and distributing forces over the entire occlusal surface. Direct intracoronal restorations (amalgam, composite) do not provide this protection and may actually wedge the cusps apart, increasing fracture risk.

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