Oral anatomy: lingual nerve injury: 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 anatomy: lingual nerve injury

Sample item

After surgical removal of an impacted lower third molar, a patient has numbness of the anterior two-thirds of one side of the tongue and loss of taste there. Which nerve is injured?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Lingual nerve

The lingual nerve lies close to the lingual plate near the lower third molar and carries general sensation and, through the chorda tympani, taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Hypoglossal injury would cause deviation, not sensory loss.

Option by option

  • A. Lingual nerve (correct)

    Correct. Lingual nerve damage causes this deficit.

  • B. Inferior alveolar nerve

    The inferior alveolar injury causes numbness of lower teeth and lip.

  • C. Hypoglossal nerve

    Hypoglossal injury causes tongue weakness.

  • D. Glossopharyngeal nerve

    The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies the posterior third of the tongue.

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, Lingual nerve. The lingual nerve lies close to the lingual plate near the lower third molar and carries general sensation and, through the chorda tympani, taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

Why is "Inferior alveolar nerve" not the answer?

The inferior alveolar injury causes numbness of lower teeth and lip.

Why is "Hypoglossal nerve" not the answer?

Hypoglossal injury causes tongue weakness.

Why is "Glossopharyngeal nerve" not the answer?

The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies the posterior third of the tongue.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral anatomy: lingual nerve injury in Dentistry. Hypoglossal injury would cause deviation, not sensory loss.

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 anatomy: lingual nerve injury?

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.