Which statement about the uses of air abrasion is FALSE?

• A. Remove superficial stains and tooth discolorations prior to placing sealants.
• B. It is used to remove some old composite/GI restorations.
• C. It is used to provide microretentive features to improve bonding.
• D. It is only effective on gross caries.

Answer: (D)

Air abrasion works by blasting a fine stream of abrasive particles at the tooth surface to remove material and roughen the surface for bonding or sealants. This makes it useful in several situations: removing superficial stains and discolorations before sealants, lifting or smoothing away some old composite or glass ionomer restorations, and creating microretentive features to improve bonding by increasing surface roughness. The statement that it is only effective on gross caries is not accurate because its applications extend beyond caries removal to surface cleaning, preparation for bonding, and restoration refinement.