Give an example of an irremediable task.

• A. Scaling of calculus
• B. The extraction of a tooth
• C. Filling a cavity
• D. Applying fluoride varnish

Answer: (B)

An irremediable task is one whose effects cannot be reversed once it’s done. Extracting a tooth permanently alters the dentition in a way that cannot be undone by simply undoing the procedure; you can replace the tooth later with implants or prosthetics, but you can’t restore the original tooth to its exact natural state. In contrast, removing calculus with scaling doesn’t permanently change the tooth’s structure and can be redone or adjusted as needed; a cavity filling can be redone if it fails; fluoride varnish is temporary and can be reapplied. This is why tooth extraction is the example of an irremediable task.