Cracked Tooth Bite Test — NDEB AFK MCQ
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Correct answer: B — Bite test (selective loading)
The bite test (selective loading) using a cotton roll, Tooth Slooth, or FracFinder is the primary diagnostic test for cracked tooth syndrome. The patient bites on the device on individual cusps; pain on release of biting pressure (rebound pain) on a specific cusp suggests a crack propagating into the dentin. The crack separates during loading and snaps together on release, stimulating dentinal fluid movement (hydrodynamic mechanism) and A-delta nerve fibres. Transillumination with a fibre-optic light can visualise the crack line.
Reference: Torabinejad – Endodontics: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., 2021