Oral pathology: dentigerous cyst: 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: dentigerous cyst

Sample item

A teenager has a unilocular radiolucency enclosing the crown of an unerupted mandibular third molar, attached at the cementoenamel junction. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Dentigerous cyst

A dentigerous cyst surrounds the crown of an unerupted tooth and attaches at the cementoenamel junction. Mandibular third molars and maxillary canines are the usual teeth involved. Enucleation with removal of the tooth is standard.

Option by option

  • A. Radicular cyst

    A radicular cyst lies at the apex of a non-vital erupted tooth.

  • B. Lateral periodontal cyst

    The lateral periodontal cyst lies beside a vital tooth root.

  • C. Dentigerous cyst (correct)

    Correct. Attachment at the cementoenamel junction around an unerupted crown defines it.

  • D. Nasopalatine duct cyst

    The nasopalatine cyst lies in the anterior midline of the palate.

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, Dentigerous cyst. A dentigerous cyst surrounds the crown of an unerupted tooth and attaches at the cementoenamel junction.

Why is "Radicular cyst" not the answer?

A radicular cyst lies at the apex of a non-vital erupted tooth.

Why is "Lateral periodontal cyst" not the answer?

The lateral periodontal cyst lies beside a vital tooth root.

Why is "Nasopalatine duct cyst" not the answer?

The nasopalatine cyst lies in the anterior midline of the palate.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral pathology: dentigerous cyst in Dentistry. Mandibular third molars and maxillary canines are the usual teeth involved. Enucleation with removal of the tooth is standard.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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: dentigerous cyst?

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.