NHRA Dentist Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Common painful oral ulcers recurring on non-keratinized mucosa; minor type is under 10 mm and heals within 14 days, while major type exceeds 10 mm and may scar.

Leukoplakia

A predominantly white oral patch that cannot be clinically or pathologically attributed to another disease; it is a diagnosis of exclusion and requires biopsy when suspicious features are present.

Nikolsky sign

Separation of epithelium on gentle lateral pressure, seen in pemphigus vulgaris and other blistering diseases; a positive sign indicates intraepithelial or fragile epithelial adhesion.

Trigeminal neuralgia

Paroxysmal, lancinating, unilateral facial pain in the trigeminal distribution triggered by light touch, chewing, or cold; carbamazepine is first-line and imaging excludes secondary causes.

Working length

Distance from a coronal reference point to the apical constriction, typically 0.5 to 1.0 mm short of the radiographic apex, confirmed with an electronic apex locator.

Sodium hypochlorite irrigation

Endodontic irrigant that dissolves necrotic tissue and has antimicrobial action; concentrations range from 0.5% to 5.25%, and extrusion can cause severe pain and tissue damage.

Configuration factor

Ratio of bonded to unbonded surface area in a restoration; high values increase polymerization contraction stress, so incremental layering is used to reduce stress.

Ferrule effect

A circumferential band of dentin at least 1.5 to 2 mm high surrounding a crown preparation; it improves fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth.

Neutral zone

The space between the lips, cheeks, and tongue where muscular forces balance; placing denture teeth within it improves stability and comfort of complete dentures.

Balanced occlusion

Arrangement of complete denture teeth providing simultaneous bilateral contacts in centric relation plus working and non-working side contacts during excursive movements to prevent tipping.

Denture stomatitis

Chronic erythema of the denture-bearing mucosa, usually palatal and associated with Candida albicans; managed by denture hygiene, overnight removal, and topical antifungal therapy.

Clinical attachment loss

Sum of probing depth and gingival recession, or probing depth minus gingival hyperplasia; it is the reference measure of past periodontal attachment destruction.

Periodontal staging and grading

Staging classifies severity and complexity using attachment loss, bone loss, and tooth loss; grading estimates progression rate and risk using smoking, diabetes, and disease pattern.

Peri-implant mucositis

Reversible inflammation of peri-implant soft tissue with bleeding on probing but no progressive bone loss; treated with improved hygiene and professional debridement.

Alveolar osteitis

Dry socket occurring two to three days after extraction, with severe pain, empty socket, and exposed bone; managed by irrigation and medicated dressing, not antibiotics alone.

Ludwig angina

Rapidly spreading bilateral infection of submandibular and sublingual spaces causing floor-of-mouth elevation and airway compromise; requires urgent intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainage.

Osteoradionecrosis

Exposed irradiated bone persisting more than three months without healing, typically after doses above 60 Gy; management includes conservative care, antibiotics, and adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen.

Le Fort fractures

Midface fracture patterns: type I is a low transverse separation, type II is pyramidal through the maxilla, and type III is craniofacial dysjunction through the orbits.

Leeway space

Difference in mesiodistal width between primary canine and molars and their permanent successors; approximately 1.5 mm per side in the maxilla and 2.5 mm in the mandible.

Silver diamine fluoride

Thirty-eight percent topical agent that arrests active dentinal caries and reduces sensitivity; it stains arrested lesions black and is useful in young or uncooperative children.

Space maintainer

Appliance preserving arch space after premature primary tooth loss; band-and-loop or crown-and-loop for unilateral loss, transpalatal arch or Nance for bilateral loss.

DMFT index

Count of decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth per person; the primary teeth equivalent is dmft, and surface-based versions are DMFS and dmfs.

Sensitivity and specificity

Sensitivity is the proportion of diseased people correctly identified; specificity is the proportion of healthy people correctly identified as disease-free. Both are prevalence-independent.

Water fluoridation

Adjustment of community water fluoride to about 0.7 ppm to reduce caries; higher concentrations increase dental fluorosis risk, and caries reduction is approximately 25%.

Maximum lidocaine dose

For a healthy adult, 7 mg/kg with epinephrine, up to about 500 mg; a 1.8 mL cartridge of 2% lidocaine contains 36 mg, so roughly 13 cartridges.

Infective endocarditis prophylaxis

Amoxicillin 2 g orally 30 to 60 minutes before dental procedures for high-risk cardiac conditions; cephalexin or azithromycin is used in penicillin allergy.

Anaphylaxis management

Intramuscular epinephrine 0.3 to 0.5 mg of 1:1000 solution in adults, repeated every 5 to 15 minutes as needed, with emergency services activated and oxygen given.

Autoclave biological monitoring

Weekly or more frequent spore testing using Geobacillus stearothermophilus for steam sterilization; a failed test requires quarantine of loads and investigation before reuse.

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis

Antiretroviral prophylaxis started ideally within two hours and no later than 72 hours after exposure; baseline and follow-up serology are documented per protocol.

Dental unit waterline standard

Water used for non-surgical care should contain no more than 500 colony-forming units per milliliter; achieved by flushing, independent reservoirs, or filtration.

Informed consent elements

Valid consent requires patient capacity, disclosure of material risks and alternatives, and voluntary agreement; the discussion should be documented in the record.

NHRA licensure

The National Health Regulatory Authority regulates dental practice and licensure in Bahrain; dentists must maintain registration and meet continuing professional development requirements.