Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: congenital epulis: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: congenital epulis

Sample item

A newborn girl has a pink, smooth, pedunculated mass on the maxillary alveolar ridge that interferes with feeding. Histology shows large polygonal cells with granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Congenital epulis of the newborn

Congenital epulis (congenital granular cell tumour) is a benign lesion with marked female predominance, usually on the anterior maxillary ridge. It does not recur after excision and may even regress. It is unrelated to odontogenic epithelium.

Option by option

  • A. Congenital epulis of the newborn (correct)

    Correct. A neonatal ridge mass of granular cells in a girl is congenital epulis.

  • B. Ameloblastoma

    Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic tumour of adults and not a newborn ridge mass.

  • C. Rhabdomyosarcoma

    Rhabdomyosarcoma is malignant, with rapid growth and rhabdomyoblasts.

  • D. Eruption cyst

    An eruption cyst is a bluish swelling over an erupting tooth.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Congenital epulis of the newborn. Congenital epulis (congenital granular cell tumour) is a benign lesion with marked female predominance, usually on the anterior maxillary ridge.

Why is "Ameloblastoma" not the answer?

Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic tumour of adults and not a newborn ridge mass.

Why is "Rhabdomyosarcoma" not the answer?

Rhabdomyosarcoma is malignant, with rapid growth and rhabdomyoblasts.

Why is "Eruption cyst" not the answer?

An eruption cyst is a bluish swelling over an erupting tooth.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: congenital epulis in Dentistry. It does not recur after excision and may even regress. It is unrelated to odontogenic epithelium.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: congenital epulis?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.