Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Practice Questions
Oral and maxillofacial surgery questions test safe decision-making as much as technique. This set covers exodontia, impacted teeth, perioperative management, odontogenic infections, dentoalveolar trauma, biopsy technique, preprosthetic surgery, orthognathic surgery, salivary gland surgery, and orofacial pain from a surgical and neurological perspective. On the AFK, INBDE, ORE and ADC, typical questions ask you to assess nerve risk before a third molar extraction, choose an antibiotic or drainage approach for a spreading infection, or manage a medically complex patient before surgery. Strong head and neck anatomy makes this branch far easier.
10 questions · answers and explanations revealed as you go · no sign-up
Questions
Question 1 of 10
Preprosthetic Surgery
Surgical removal of a torus palatinus is most commonly indicated when it does which of the following?
The answer is A.
A torus palatinus is typically left untreated unless it interferes with denture fabrication, retention, or stability, causes recurrent ulceration from trauma, or compromises speech or hygiene, since the growth itself is a benign, slow-growing exostosis.
Question 2 of 10
Exodontia
The beaks of mandibular molar forceps (No. 17) are designed with pointed projections specifically to engage which anatomical landmark?
The answer is C.
The No. 17 (and No. 222) mandibular molar forceps feature pointed beaks (hawk's bill design) specifically engineered to seat into the buccal and lingual furcation areas, enabling a low, firm grip below the crown. This furcation engagement transmits force effectively to the root complex.
Question 3 of 10
Orofacial Pain (Surgical & Neurologic Scope)
Classic trigeminal neuralgia is typically described as which type of pain?
The answer is C.
Classic trigeminal neuralgia presents as sudden, brief, severe electric shock-like paroxysms along one or more trigeminal divisions, frequently provoked by light cutaneous triggers such as touching the face, chewing, or brushing teeth.
Question 4 of 10
Infections
A 24-year-old male patient presents to the clinic 48 hours after receiving an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for a restorative procedure. The patient complains of severe, limited mouth opening (trismus) measuring 12 mm and mild pain, with no visible intraoral or extraoral swelling. Which of the following fascial spaces is most likely involved in this localized infection?
The answer is D.
Pterygomandibular space infection, often arising from contaminated needles during an IANB, leads to severe trismus due to inflammation of the medial pterygoid muscle, with minimal external swelling.
Question 5 of 10
Orthognathic Surgery
Presurgical orthodontics before orthognathic surgery is primarily aimed at accomplishing which goal?
The answer is A.
Presurgical orthodontics decompensates the teeth by removing the dental tipping that had been masking the underlying skeletal discrepancy, aligning the arches so that once surgery repositions the jaws, the teeth can be brought into a stable, functional occlusion.
Question 6 of 10
Dentoalveolar Trauma
Which of the following BEST describes the rationale for NOT placing an implant or bone graft immediately following the extraction of a tooth with a large periapical abscess?
The answer is A.
Active infection introduces a high bacterial load, inflammatory cytokines, and enzymatic degradation that compromise the sterile environment required for osseointegration and graft incorporation.
Question 7 of 10
Biopsy Technique & Oral Pathology Surgical Interface
A brush biopsy of a suspicious oral mucosal lesion is best described as which type of diagnostic tool?
The answer is B.
Brush biopsy is a minimally invasive, adjunctive screening tool that collects a transepithelial cell sample for cytologic evaluation, and while useful for early detection, any positive or atypical result requires a conventional scalpel biopsy to obtain a definitive tissue diagnosis.
Question 8 of 10
Impacted Teeth
In the Pell and Gregory classification, Class I refers to which relationship of an impacted mandibular third molar?
The answer is D.
Pell and Gregory Class I describes sufficient anteroposterior space between the ramus and the distal surface of the second molar to accommodate the mesiodistal width of the third molar crown, generally indicating an easier surgical removal.
Question 9 of 10
Salivary Gland Surgery
Acute bacterial sialadenitis is distinguished from simple sialolithiasis mainly by the presence of which finding?
The answer is C.
While sialolithiasis reflects mechanical obstruction from a stone, acute sialadenitis adds signs of active bacterial infection such as purulent ductal discharge, overlying erythema and warmth, fever, and systemic malaise, which distinguishes it clinically from uncomplicated obstruction.
Question 10 of 10
Perioperative Management
Standard postoperative instructions immediately after a routine extraction typically include which advice regarding the surgical site?
The answer is A.
Standard immediate postoperative instructions include biting firmly on gauze to encourage clot formation and avoiding vigorous rinsing or spitting for roughly the first day, since early disruption of the forming clot increases the risk of bleeding or dry socket.
Choose an answer to reveal the explanation.
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