National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) Exam. Gain confidence with our comprehensive quizzes that include detailed explanations and hints to help you understand key concepts. Excel in your dental career!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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Chewing 'automatism' is dependent on which mechanism?

Central nervous system commands
Reflexes between jaw closing and opening muscles
Voluntary muscle control
Peripheral nerve stimulation

The correct answer is: Reflexes between jaw closing and opening muscles

Automatism refers to any action or behavior that is essentially involuntary or automatic. In the case of chewing, this refers to the process of repeatedly opening and closing our jaws to break down food for digestion. Option A, the commands from the central nervous system, are involved in coordinating the muscles involved in chewing, but they are not responsible for the automatic repetitive motion itself. Option C, voluntary muscle control, is also not the mechanism responsible for chewing automatism, as this refers to our conscious control over movements rather than automatic actions. Peripheral nerve stimulation, option D, may contribute to the sensation of chewing, but it is not the primary mechanism responsible for the repetitive action. Therefore, option B, reflexes between jaw closing and opening muscles, is the most accurate and specific answer as it refers to the automatic, involuntary nature of chewing.