Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: pulp canal obliteration after trauma: 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 · Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: pulp canal obliteration after trauma

Sample item

A 12-year-old had a luxation injury to an upper central incisor two years ago. The crown has slowly turned yellow, and a radiograph shows a markedly narrowed canal with no periapical radiolucency. The tooth is asymptomatic. What is the appropriate management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Monitor, with root canal treatment only if signs of pathosis appear

Calcific metamorphosis or pulp canal obliteration follows trauma and gives a yellow crown. Most such teeth remain asymptomatic with no periapical disease, so routine endodontic treatment is not advised; treatment is reserved for symptoms or a periapical lesion, and bleaching can improve colour.

Option by option

  • A. Pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide now

    A pulpotomy is not indicated in an asymptomatic tooth with a narrowed canal.

  • B. Apicoectomy with retrograde filling

    Apicoectomy treats persistent periapical disease, which is absent here.

  • C. Monitor, with root canal treatment only if signs of pathosis appear (correct)

    Correct. Follow-up is enough while the tooth is symptom-free and has no periapical lesion.

  • D. Immediate extraction and implant placement

    Extraction is excessive for a healthy-looking obliterated 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 C, Monitor, with root canal treatment only if signs of pathosis appear. Calcific metamorphosis or pulp canal obliteration follows trauma and gives a yellow crown.

Why is "Pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide now" not the answer?

A pulpotomy is not indicated in an asymptomatic tooth with a narrowed canal.

Why is "Apicoectomy with retrograde filling" not the answer?

Apicoectomy treats persistent periapical disease, which is absent here.

Why is "Immediate extraction and implant placement" not the answer?

Extraction is excessive for a healthy-looking obliterated tooth.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: pulp canal obliteration after trauma in Dentistry. Most such teeth remain asymptomatic with no periapical disease, so routine endodontic treatment is not advised; treatment is reserved for symptoms or a periapical lesion, and bleaching can improve colour.

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 Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: pulp canal obliteration after trauma?

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.