What is the purpose of medium grit in coronal polishing?

The purpose of medium grit in coronal polishing primarily relates to its effectiveness in removing surface stains from teeth. Medium grit abrasives are designed to provide a balance between being coarse enough to remove unsightly stains and deposits effectively, while not being so coarse that they damage the enamel or surface of the tooth. This makes medium grit an ideal choice for initial cleaning steps during a polishing procedure, as it helps achieve a more aesthetically pleasing appearance by reducing the visibility of stains, making it a crucial component of the polishing process.

In this context, the other options serve different purposes that medium grit does not fulfill, such as the final polishing process or creating a high shine, which typically requires the use of finer grit materials. Additionally, maintaining the integrity of the tooth is more associated with the choice of grit used throughout the procedure, whereby excessive abrasion may compromise tooth enamel. Therefore, medium grit is specifically valuable for its capability to effectively remove stains, making it an essential tool during the coronal polishing process.