Dental OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Dental OSCE Exam with interactive quizzes, flashcards, and detailed answer explanations. Boost your confidence and improve your clinical competencies!

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Which type of clasp is described as being cervical to the height of contour (HOC)?

Retentive clasp
Supportive clasp
Bracing clasp
Reciprocating clasp

The correct answer is: Retentive clasp

The correct choice is identified as the retentive clasp because it is specifically designed to engage the tooth cervical to the height of contour (HOC). This placement allows the retentive clasp to provide retention by firmly grasping the tooth structure below the HOC, which helps to stabilize removable partial dentures during function. By being positioned in this manner, the clasp can effectively resist dislodging forces, ensuring that the dental prosthesis remains secure within the mouth. In contrast, supportive, bracing, and reciprocating clasps serve different roles. Supportive clasps are typically associated with providing vertical support to the prosthesis, bracing clasps are designed to prevent lateral movement and achieve stability, and reciprocating clasps are balanced against retentive clasps to enhance retention by creating an opposing force. These functions do not involve engaging below the HOC for retention as the retentive clasp does.