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Primary First Molar Features — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModeratePaediatric DentistryPrimary First Molar FeaturesNDEB AFK

Which feature of the mandibular first primary molar distinguishes it from the permanent premolars that will replace it?

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

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Correct answer: E — Its crown has a prominent cervical ridge (buccal bulge) at the CEJ on the mesiobuccal surface, narrower occlusal table, and widely divergent roots

The mandibular first primary molar has distinctive features: prominent buccal cervical ridge (mesiobuccal bulge) creating a constricted neck, narrow occlusal table relative to crown size, thin enamel and dentin (rapid caries progression), large pulp chamber with prominent pulp horns, and widely divergent roots (straddling the developing premolar tooth bud below). The root divergence and thin inter-radicular bone make extraction more complex than a premolar and require careful technique to avoid damage to the developing successor.

Reference: Dean – McDonald and Avery's Dentistry for the Child and Adolescent, 11th ed., 2021