HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

What is silica primarily used for in dentistry?

1. To form fillings

2. To make dental porcelain

3. To create dental crowns

4. To clean dental instruments

The correct answer is: To make dental porcelain

Silica is primarily used in dentistry for the production of dental porcelain. Dental porcelain is a ceramic material that combines silica with other materials, such as feldspar and kaolin, to achieve desired properties like strength, aesthetics, and biocompatibility. The inclusion of silica plays a crucial role in the formation and durability of porcelain used for dental applications, particularly in aesthetic restorations like veneers and crowns, as well as in the fabrication of dental prosthetics. In contrast, while fillings, dental crowns, and the cleaning of instruments have distinct materials and processes associated with them, they do not primarily rely on silica. Fillings might use materials like composite resins or amalgam, crowns could be made from various materials including metals and other ceramics, and cleaning instruments typically involves chemical solutions rather than silica compounds. Thus, the role of silica is most accurately characterized in the context of dental porcelain.